Phantoms, Scars, and Revenge
by malakiebear
Summary: "I, Thaddeus Curly Gammelthorpe, have an offer to present to you...It all starts with jealousy, you see. Your dear Arnold..." Curly said. "ARNOLD?" She choked. "Yes sweet Helga, Arnold, your lover boy...He has returned, yes? I know how to make Arnold fall in love with you again, Helga, you just have to do one thing..."
1. Prologue

******_This work of fiction was inspired by fan art and The Jungle Movie with references to real things/people._**

**_I do not own Hey Arnold! (Craig Bartlett) or _****_The Phantom of the Opera_****_ (Andrew Lloyd Weber)_**

**_Enjoy!_**

**Prologue**

_They found it. _

_La Corazon._

_ And they were running. _

_Running from him, La Sombra._

_ And suddenly, they fell._

_ Fell through a trap. _

_They hit the bottom of a pit that led to a secret cave. _

_Arnold was terrified. "Helga! Are you okay?" _

_No response _

_He pulled Helga over into the cave where they would be unseen. He felt a huge lump the back of her head. He was freaked out. He didn't know what to do. All he could do was just scream her name. _

_ "HELGA! IT'S NOT FUNNY! I KNOW YOU HATE ME AND I KNOW YOU LOVE PRANKING ME BUT THIS ISN'T A JOKE!"_

_No response_

_He grabbed her shoulders with fear, "HELGA PLEASE! I KNOW YOU LOVE ME! IF YOU REALLY DID LOVE ME YOU WOULD WAKE UP!"_

_No response_

_Arnold broke down to tears. He shouldn't have let Helga follow him. He shouldn't have let her come find his parents with him. What if she never woke up?_

_He was overcome by what had happened and desperately needed an answer from Helga. So all he could do was wait for her to move or do something. They were stuck no doubt, and he needed to get Helga to safety. _

_But then he realized _"Why should I care about Helga? I mean she's always been mean to me, rude, and has never done anything for me."

_But then he thought some more. _"Then there was that whole FTI thing. What was that about? I mean, really? She loves me? There is no way on earth."_ His good-boy conscious was doing the thinking now. _"Well, she wouldn't have admitted anything that's not true. I mean, I know Helga, and that's not like her. Maybe she did mean all that stuff on top of FTI. Maybe she really did. And here I was thinking that she didn't mean any of that stuff, that she was caught up in the heat of the moment. That she got carried away. If she did get carried away then why did she follow me when I left the class to find my parents?"

_He glanced over at Helga, whom was still unconscious. _"Why would she have followed me? Maybe she really does love me."

_His inner pessimist came out then_, "NO WAY. She has always bullied me, made fun of me, calling me a wet blanket and stuff."_ The little angel on his left shoulder started arguing back, "_Maybe that was just because she really wanted to cover up her feelings. Maybe…"

_His light bulb went on, "_Even though she's done some really mean things to me, it never bothered me, I never could ignore her. She can be ok sometimes. She can be really nice, like that one time Phoebe broke her leg…and when she found my hat, she helped fund my float for the parade, and the time she let me win the spelling bee, and the time she stopped her own dad from cutting down the old tree! And then there was that one time when Rhonda told me I was going to get married to Helga… Maybe she has been there for me all along. How could I have not noticed it?"

_ The more he thought about it, the more he realized Helga has been there for Arnold when he's down. The more he realized that Helga was trying to comfort him, and maybe he just forgot. _

_Helga shifted a little and moaned "Arnold, yo-ou okay?"_

_Her eyes were still closed and it looked like she was half-conscious. "Helga, I'm fine, just go to sleep."_

_"Okay Football head."_

_The devil on Arnold's right shoulder still had his argument, _"Why is she so mean then?"_ And the Angel had a counterstatement. "_Maybe it's because she doesn't feel very loved. Have you ever noticed her parents? They never give her a second thought. Maybe Helga just feels…desolate. She feels desolate from the world_." _

_Arnold grasped on to Helga's ways of thinking. He knew that she loved him. After all of her spit balls and humiliating jokes, none of that mattered to Arnold anymore._

_ He glanced over at Helga once more._

_ It started to become darker and colder. Arnold took a hold onto Helga's cataleptic body and rested her head on his lap. He noticed underneath her bangs, her forehead was bleeding. He ripped part of his shirt off to make a headband for the wound. Arnold started studying her face. She looked so calm. Her blonde hair was falling out of its gravity-defying pigtails, so Arnold let her hair down. _

_She looked so serene. Why did she scowl all the time? She looked so pretty when she was…well…unconscious. He couldn't help himself to run his fingers through her blonde hair. _

_As the moonlight came up over the trapped partners-in-crime, Arnold saw something shinning next to Helga's body. At first he thought he was going insane. He reached out to touch the reflecting light, and grasped on to something with a heart shape. He positioned the heart in way so he could see what it was. A locket. With Arnold's picture in it. Blushing, he thought to himself, "She must be really crazy over me, carrying this locket around. It's kinda cool. Creepy and stalkerish, but cool."_

_As his thoughts drew to a close, he fell asleep with the locket of his lover in his hands._

* * *

_He woke up the next morning to someone playing with his arm._

_Helga, her face, full of concern and fear as she wrapped her pink girly bow around his arm, which must have been bleeding. Arnold did some quick thinking and pretended to be asleep. What harm could be done? He wanted to see what she would do while he was "sleeping". After she finished casing his arm, she just started at him for a good minute._

_"Oh Arnold," she started speaking to herself._

_"_This will be good_," Arnold thought to himself._

_"My football-headed love-god…"_

_Arnold bit his lip to hold back laughter, just so he could hear more…_

_"Let me pray that no harm has been done to you, and let me pray that today may be the day that you see me with love's eyes, as I see you, my flaxen-haired hero."_

_Arnold tried to keep himself together, and in result snorted. _

_"He snores! Snore again bright angel!"_

_This was too much, he snorted again, and Helga thought he snored, again._

_"huhag…" she made some weird sigh._

_Arnold peered inconspicuously while pretending to sleep. He saw Helga's face change from adoring to panic in a split second. She saw her locket in his hand. Instinctively, she pried it out of his hands and put it in her shirt, and started speaking again._

_"Oh, it's no use. He knows. He's known for a year now. He knows I'm head-over-heals, over-the-moon crazy for him! And NOW he finds my locket? This is too embarrassing. What am I even doing? I know he hates me. He can't stand me. He doesn't like me, and he will never like me like me."_

_She put her head in her hands and started crying._

"Ok,"_ Arnold thought, "_Show's over_." He put on his half lidded smile and said "I never said I hate you Helga."_

_She lifted her head up to reveal her puffy eyes._

_"I never said I couldn't stand you. And I never said I don't like you like you, Helga."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Look, I should have talked with you about this after we saved the neighborhood, and I'm sorry I put it off for so long. I might have given you the wrong impression for a year, and I know it was wrong to ignore it, Helga, but…"_

_"But what?"_

_"Well, Helga, I mean…you are…always…there for me…" _

_"I am?"_

_"Helga, you are! I mean… remember the spelling bee? And the parade? Remember the time you found my hat? And saved the old tree from your DAD?"_

_"Well…haha…funny story…um…I don't like my dad…"_

_"Helga, stop trying to hide it from me! Stop trying to cover it up! Remember the time you helped me save the neighborhood?"_

_"L-let's not talk a-about that, heh, heh…"_

_"Deep Voice? Are you still in there? Because I know one thing, Helga, that you aren't as bad as you want me to believe. I know who you really are. I can see through you now. I know that you are really a caring, loving, and emotional person…"he slowed down at the last few words made his heart and stomach drop through what seemed a never ending hole._

_"Well…I-I…um…"_

_"Helga please! Stop! I know you, and I-I…um…care about you- a lot." He choked, but forced himself to continue._

_"Care?"_

_"Maybe I kinda…ummm…like you too…" His stomach hit the bottom of the hole it fell into, as he felt a jittery sensation in his abdomen._

_"Huh?" Helga spoke with fear.  
"I think…I um…like you like you too. Like maybe even l-love you." After the words left his mouth, a weight that pressed on him seemed to disintegrate away._

_She fainted after making some weird sign again._

_"Aaugh…what do I do now?" Arnold rested his head in his hands, and rubbed his football headed forehead. _I tell a girl I love her and she faints. Perfect. _He thought._

_Helga returned to her consciousness and still lying down, she stuttered, "So F-football head, haha, if you…um…love me…crazy idea… then uh…prove it."_

_"Fine." He said, his face making that half-lidded smile that made Helga melt._

_He leaned over and kissed her, right on the lips._

_Helga nearly died of happiness, Who's red lips to I want a taste of? Three guesses stupid, Arnold, Arnold, Arnold!_

_He kissed her until she was out of breath and she fainted again._

"HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD!"

The fifteen-year-old awoke and turned his alarm off.

Today's the day they're moving back.

* * *

**So...what do ya think? Please follow, favorite, or review! As I start this story, I need lots of feedback, thanks :)**


	2. Eugene, Eugene

**Chapter 1**

Every step he took his feet dragged on the ground while he hunched over. Everything felt like it was dragging and dropping. His eyelids, his shirt, and his increasingly terrible weeks. The Phantom of the Opera was to open in three weeks. Three weeks. Almost a month ago when Curly Gammelthorpe auditioned for the play, he had his sights set on Raoul, Christine's lover. But who did he end up playing? The Phantom.

_EUGENE HOROWITZ AS RAOUL. EUGENE AS RAOUL. EUGENE HOROWITZ AS RAOUL. EUGENE. EUGENE. EUGENE. _

The thoughts flooded his mind for the past few weeks during rehearsal.

_He will be the one who falls in love with Christine. He will be the one who gets to kiss Rhonda at the end of the play. WHY? I practiced day and night for the role of Raoul. And what do I get? The role of the Phantom? The one who is rejected and feared by Christine? No! This is ridiculous!_

Speak of the devil; Eugene stopped him in the hallway. "Hey Curly, how's it going?" He smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. Curly stood with a stiff upper lip._ There he goes pretending like he didn't do this on purpose! EUGENE. _

"I think you were really great at rehearsal last night." Eugene added.

_Why is he complementing me like this? We don't talk! Ever! It's probably all part of his diabolical plan to ruin my one chance at getting Rhonda's attention! _

Something clicked. Maybe he could pretend to be friends with Eugene so he could let his guard down. That way, he won't see revenge coming…

Curly smiled a fake warm smile. He was an actor; he could pull off being friendly to him until the time of revenge. "Thanks Eugene. You were great as Raoul, too. See you a rehearsal." He complemented with almost too much sarcasm. Curly left for first hour.

_Eugene….a bit accident prone, are you not? We'll see what kind of accident happens soon….A HAHAHA! MWAHAHA! AH! HAHA!_ The creepy eerie smile could be seen all across the hall.

* * *

_**That Chapter was real fun to write. I love Curly! Anyway, I hope you guys liked it.**_


	3. Witness

**Chapter 2**

It felt good to be the most popular girl in school. It felt good to have the lead in the school play. It felt good to be homecoming queen. It felt good to be Rhonda Lloyd.

She drove to school in the pink bug she got for her 16th birthday. She was one of the oldest in the sophomore class, and she loved it. Everyone asked her for rides, giving her too much attention over her out-of-the-factory-car. All of the kids basically worshiped Rhonda because she could drive before anyone else. She remembered the first day she came to school in her car. Sid wouldn't leave her alone for the whole day.

_"Rhonda, that's a really nice car you've got there…is it brand new? I thought they stopped making them in pink…where did you get it?" he said._

_"Well of course it's brand new! What wouldn't be brand new for me? I am Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, and whatever I want, my father can get. And if you are wondering, they did discontinue the pink car…in America… but my father imported this from Europe. He only had to pay a couple extra thousand to get this exclusive vehicle." She smiled, flipping her trendy hair, and stepped out of the car. _

_Stinky mumbled under his breath, "Only the best fur Rhonda, Sid." _

_"That's right Stinky. Did you know that my brand new car has a built in GPS, Beats Audio speakers for complete surround sound, and a remote engine start up? I bet you're pretty jealous… I mean, who wouldn't be?" she boasted._

_"Yeah, say Rhonda, how about you let me take it for a spin after school?" Sid asked._

_"Are you CRAZY? Of course not! You might ruin my one-of-a-kind, made-in-China tires!" she exclaimed._

_Stinky had a confused face, "So I reckon you're sayin, that if them tires are made in China, they're one of a kind?"_

_"Of course! I mean…Chinese tires are made by HAND." She quickly lied, because she knew that her tires (which were made in China) could be found anywhere, and if the rest of the kids at school knew that, then they would all buy the same tires. Then that would make Rhonda uncool, and there's no way that Rhonda would ever stoop to that level._

_"Wheelekers…" Stinky added._

_Sid answered with complete shame, "Rhonda, I am SO sorry for asking. Let's just pretend this never happened ok? I knew that in the first place…please don't make me uncool!"_

Rhonda laughed at the memory. What morons…

She parked and got out of her car, only to see Helga G. Pataki riding her completely uncool bike to school. And she was singing? Helga Pataki, singing? That was just too much for the most popular girl in school to handle.

"What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?  
What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok?"

To Rhonda's surprise, she sounded pretty good actually, but considering that Helga Pataki became a social outcast ever since Arnold moved away, she had to disagree. Uncool people like Helga Pataki can't sing well. That's just the way of the social society.

Ever since Arnold moved away…In Rhonda's eyes, their relationship was completely revolting. Considering that Helga was completely rude and hated Arnold, and then one day, she saw them walking down the hallway, holding hands? And it's not like Arnold was desperate or anything, he was pretty appealing in middle school…any girl would have dated him. But no, he decided to dedicate two years of his life to Helga G Pataki. Rhonda felt sorry for him. He could have done so much better.

After they broke up, Helga stopped talking to everyone, except for her brownnosing friend Phoebe Heyerdahl. She stopped wearing that unfashionable pink dress, and started wearing a crème leather jacket everywhere, and in recent years, her Varsity jacket. She stopped bullying kids, but whenever someone asked her something she would retort with anger and sass. So no one would talk to Helga. It's not like people used to talk to her much before, but now, it seemed as if Helga didn't exist. It's like Helga still hadn't gotten over Arnold to this day. Seriously? There's no way that it would have worked out anyway. She had become a total outcast, along with Phoebe, but Phoebe had a boyfriend now, so Helga and Phoebe didn't talk much.

It's probably because Phoebe had realized what a drag Helga was in the social totem pole. And she was dating Gerald Johnson, so it's not like she was in hopeless relationship like Helga and Arnold were.

Rhonda was still watching Helga when a disgusted look came across the blonde girl's face. Rhonda tried to look at what Helga was seeing. Helga must have been watching the bus, because a couple holding hands walked out. It was Gerald and Phoebe for that matter, and Rhonda looked back at Helga, only to see her head hung low with pining, and a glimmer of a tear run down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.

It completely surprised Rhonda to see Helga G Pataki, one of the toughest girls she knew, crying. She knew she had some news to tell Nadine about this…so she hung around a little longer to see if anything else would happen.

One of the juniors on the football team, Wolfgang approached Helga while she locked up her bike.

"Hey Helga, you look really sexy today," he said

_Wolfgang?_ Rhonda thought.

"I look like this every day, doi." Helga retorted.

"So when are we going on that date? It's been a while." Wolfgang said.

_Wolfgang asking Helga Pataki on a date? What has this world come to? Wolfgang, the complete hottie and douchebag star quarterback of our school, asking Helga, an outcast, on a date? I guess he's just THAT uncool…_

"Crimeny! Never, you creep! How many times do I have to tell you, there's no way Helga G. Pataki is going out with anyone! Ever!" and she punched him with Old Betsy and stormed off to class.

Edmond had just walked around the corner to find Wolfgang with a bloody nose and said, "Hey Wolfgang, I think your nose is bleeding, you didn't get rejected by a girl again, did you? …huh huh."

Rhonda continued to follow Helga to see what else she could gossip to her friends about.

Helga went to her locker to put her things away. She heard an awkward breathing behind her.

"Brainy, please. Old Betsy already took down one person today; let's not make her take down another."

"Uh…ok..." he said while Helga walked off.

Everyone knew that Brainy was a complete stalker, and in love with Helga in elementary school, but he still is? Who would ever like Helga Pataki? Apparently Brainy and Wolfgang. Rhonda was fed up with this, she should have kept up with Helga more.

She carried off to her first hour to talk with her friends about what she just saw.

* * *

_"I think…I um…like you like you too. Like maybe even l-love you." After the words left his mouth, a weight that pressed on him seemed to disintegrate away._

_She fainted after making some weird sign again._

_"Aaugh…what do I do now?" Arnold rested his head in his hands, and rubbed his football headed forehead. _I tell a girl I love her and she faints. Perfect. _He thought._

_Helga returned to her consciousness and still lying down, she stuttered, "So F-football head, haha, if you…um…love me…crazy idea… then uh…prove it."_

_"Fine." He said, his face making that half-lidded smile that made Helga melt._

_He leaned over and kissed her, right on the lips._

_Helga nearly died of happiness, Who's red lips to I want a taste of? Three guesses stupid, Arnold, Arnold, Arnold!_

_He kissed her until she was out of breath and she fainted again._

* * *

She sat down in her desk, waiting for the bell to ring while the memory from 5th grade was replaying in her head. The memory had revisited her in dreams for the past few days.

_"I think…I um…like you like you too. Like maybe even l-love you."_

She frowned. _What is love anyway? I've never been loved before. _Helga thought as she played with the pencil in her hand, itching for Creative Writing class to begin. _I'll make sure to avoid the stupid football head once he gets here._

News of the Arnold coming home was everywhere. Most of the kids from Helga's class from P.S. 118 gossiped about it in the halls. His flight was supposed to have departed two days ago, and it's been all the talk. To Helga's surprise, even Lila approached her about it.

_"I'm ever so certain that Arnold will be one of our peers in a few days." _ _Lila said as she approached Helga's locker, when she was off guard._

_"Yeah, so? Do you think I care?"_

_"Well, I know you two were um…"_

_"Were what?!" Helga slammed her locker shut and turned to Lila, "Were together? Maybe in middle school Lila, but he dumped me. And guess what? I don't want to talk about it. Just because he's coming home, doesn't mean I'm going to get all smiley and pretend that everything is peachy."_

_"Perhaps you could at least be a little friendly, Helga. I know that you really are an ever-so caring person on the inside, and you just don't like to show it."_

Helga sighed in her desk. Maybe she really should show her soft side a little more. Lila always seemed to notice Helga's compassionate qualities. As a matter of fact, Lila seemed to be the only person who even noticed Helga anymore. In recent years, Helga became more stubborn, more rude and to most, she seemed like a mystery. Most of her classmates had grown distant from her, especially her Phoebe Heyerdahl. Helga's relationship had been replaced by another's. Another relationship that Helga set up in the first place. After Phoebe started dating Gerald, Helga's friendship seemed to become less important. Phoebe almost never called because she was too busy calling Gerald. Phoebe never sat at lunch with Helga anymore, only with Gerald at their own table. And hanging out? Replaced by dates with Gerald. After all of this, Helga became quite angry at the world, filled with typical teenage angst and attitude. No one else liked to talk to Helga because whenever they would say something, Helga would give an extremely rude and sarcastic remark. So Helga typically spent her days alone in the halls, unacknowledged by most.

That is of course except for Lila. She always could see Helga's wonderful side. Lila saw beauty in Helga, unlike most of the kids at school.

BOOOOOOP

The irritatingly loud and obnoxious bell repeatedly gave Helga mini heart attacks in her desk.

She was cleared of thoughts as class began.

* * *

**In case you were wondering, the song is "Breakeven" by The Script. Will update soon!**


	4. Cool Kid Opinion

**Chapter 3**

Sid walked to lunch that day to see a big commotion around his lunch table. Rhonda stood in the center, Nadine and Lila backed her up with confused faces.

"Stinky, I want you to tell me what you think." Rhonda demanded.

"I don't see why yur all worked up about this Rhonda." Stinky said.

"Hey Rhonda, what's the big idea?" Sid said with confusion.

Rhonda's face suddenly lit up as she realized that Sid walked in. "Sid! What perfect timing. You're a guy right?"

"Um, yeah…"

"You know Sid; you are one of the coolest kids in school…" Rhonda said with a bit of sarcasm, but Sid was too flattered to realize that she was joking.

"Boy Howdy, thanks Rhonda! I like your shoes today, I was meaning to tell you…and-" he was cut off.

"Oh thanks Sid, I like them too, anyway, I wanted to ask you a question because I need another cool kid's opinion…" she said with even more mockery.

"Sure Rhonda! Anything for you!" he said with an antsy smile.

She sneered at the way she could make him kiss her feet. "Is Helga G Pataki in anyway appealing to you?"

Sid was taken aback for a moment. Helga Pataki? Attractive? A revelation dawned on him when he thought about it. Helga wasn't bad. Actually, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Helga was kinda hot. Sure, she scowled at everyone and wouldn't speak to people, but Sid couldn't say no. Her cap and jacket made her look like a real brat, but in this way, she was cute. Her flare jeans emphasized her curves, and as she grew older, her face became very pretty. But he needed to answer the question fast, because Rhonda looked impatient. He needed to say something…cool.

"Well, Helga does have a nice butt." Sid said casually. He rubbed his fingernails on his shirt to add weight to his "coolness".

Stinky and the other boys at the table smiled guiltily as they exchanged glances. They knew it too.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Rhonda said disdainfully.

Sid was hung up in his "cool" zone. "Rhonda, you asked for my cool opinion, so you got it. And it looks like Stinky and Harold agree with me."

She groaned and said, "Sid, you really aren't cool, and neither are your Beatle boots."

Sid processed what Rhonda said, and started to panic, "Rhonda! Wait! I am cool!" he started screaming his paranoid cry, "I AM COOL!" He dropped on his knees dramatically.

Stinky reassured him. "It's okay Sid; we all wish we could be one of them beautiful people…"

Harold started laughing at Sid, "AHAHAHAHA Sid is uncool and thinks Helga Pataki has a nice butt, AHAHAHA!"

Lila commented on the situation, "Well I think that Helga started to ever-so look like her ever-so wonderfully talented and beautiful sister Olga. She's just a tad bit rude, but I know that she's ever-so sweet. I think Helga is just ever-so mean because Arnold left. I mean, he was ever-so dear to her." She said.

Rhonda frowned, completely appalled. "Are you kidding me? Arnold and Helga?! That was SO two years ago! They practically made me gag! Lila, don't say that, it's like social suicide...and there's no way Helga Pataki looks like her stylish sister Olga! She has a UNIBROW still, and that's totally UNCOOL."

"Rhonda, she might look mean on the outside, but you can't judge a book by its cover! What would the Abdicator do right now? He would try to find the good in people!" Eugene said.

"Eugene, the Abdicator doesn't exist." Sid shot back.

"Still! Be there for the little guy!"

Peapod Kid heard what was going on, and joined in their conversation, "Now that I think about it Rhonda, I'm terribly, terribly sorry to say that Helga does look like her sister Olga."

"AGH!" Rhonda screamed.

The lunch room doors swung open and Helga Pataki walked in, alone like always. She went and got her lunch, then sat down at a table by herself.

Stinky started chuckling, but only spoke loud enough so the kids around their table would hear, "Sid, stop watchin' Helga's butt, haha!"

Sid elbowed him, "Shut up."

Helga looked down and stared at her mystery meat. Thinking. Playing with her food. She had a look of longing on her face when Wolfgang walked up to her table.

"Hey I got yo-" he started.

"Look Wolfgang, you're a douche and there is no way we are getting together. Comprende?"

"S-so, so, you're just going to stay single for the rest of your life? Who are you waiting for? The football headed kid? Let me remember, he broke up with you before he moved to the North Pole or something. I don't think you even have any friends, do you? You're sitting by yourself. You must be really repelling with your stubborn attitude and your one eyebrow. Haven't you heard of waxing?" he teased. The whole lunch room was watching now, "I guess that's what desperation brings people down to." They heard everything Wolfgang said.

Helga's expression was full of sorrow as he brought back the memory of Arnold to her, and suddenly she grabbed his neck, and a new ferocity burned inside of her, "OH, so now I'm stubborn, desperate and hideous? Oh no. YOU were the one who said quote on quote this morning, 'Hey Helga, you look really sexy today,' with your oh-so seductive voice and then asked me on a date!" She took his face and smashed it into the table, which broke in half, "I HATE MEN!" she screamed, and then she ran out the lunch room.

The lunch room filled with disbelief from what just happened.

The awkward silence was interrupted by Nadine, "I've never seen her cry before…"

"Wolfgang asked Helga out on a date?" asked Eugene.

Harold spoke up, "Yeah, and every time he gets rejected like a sissy! Everyone on the football team knows it, AHAHA!"

"I ever-so hope Helga's okay."

Rhonda felt a pang of guilt for Helga.

Phoebe stood up from her lunch table across the room, and attempted to follow her, but Gerald held her and said "I think it's best if she's left alone."


	5. You Are Not Alone

_**Alright, this chapter is a bit dark, just fyi, but nothing too bad. Thanks for the reviews!**_

**Chapter 4**

Helga ran to her locker, grabbed her jacket, and backpack and left Hillwood High. She just wanted to ride her bike. Somewhere where there is lots of hills. So she left the school, her destination was unknown, but it sure was better than staying with all of those asses at school. How could Wolfgang ever say that to her? About her eyebrow and stubbornness, she didn't care. The Arnold thing made her snap. How could he bring Arnold up like that? Why did it matter to him?

_Why should it matter to me if he brought up Arnold?_

Helga was in a state of confusion. She dreadfully wanted to forget about Arnold. It's not like he was coming back soon anyway. But at the same time, she couldn't forget about him. A day could not pass when she doesn't think about him, even though he dumped and broke her heart. Everything seemed great for a while when they dated. Helga was happier. She didn't snap at people all the time. Sure, the kids at school were a little weirded out but she didn't care. Helga actually cared about how she looked when she was with Arnold. She used to let her hair down, the way Arnold liked it, and she used to dress up for school. And all the same, when she was with Arnold, she felt like she was loved by someone, and like someone cared about her.

_Oh yeah, well he wouldn't have broken up with me if he cared._

_Ok, I need to stop thinking about this. _

She rode home and went to the kitchen to find Miram drinking, again. Bags hung under her red eyes, and her hair was a mess. "Honey, you should be in the hospital right?"

_Well, at least she doesn't know I'm skipping school._

Helga rolled her blue eyes and let out an exasperated "No." She grabbed the bottle of wine, corked it up, and put in the Alcohol cabinet. Next time she would remember to lock it up before she left for school. She really needed to do something about her mother's drinking problem. Her addiction had become so bad; Helga was surprised Miriam hadn't started drinking mouthwash yet.

Miriam rubbed her tired eyes and slapped a hand down on the table, "Good, because I needed to tell you something sweetie."

"Knock me out." Helga said as she fixed herself a snack. She also put some toast in the toaster for Miriam's stomach.

"Your friend's mother called so you can take a driver's training class together. First class is tomorrow after school at the old elementary school! Won't that be fun?"

"Sure Mom. Sure." At least Miriam had the decency to sign her up from driver's ed with Phoebe. Wait, did she say Phoebe? Oh well, what other friend did she have? Lila? No one else at the school liked her.

_Except Wolfgang._

_NO! He doesn't like me. He just wants my virginity._

Helga grabbed the toast from the toaster and put in on a plate for Miriam, then sat down on the barstool next to her. "Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Sure! That's what friends are for!" She said with drunken enthusiasm.

_That's what moms are for, Miriam, but you almost fail in that category, so I guess we're friends._

"There's this kid at school…who wants to go out with me…but he's a douche, ya know?" Helga began.

"Mmmhmmm…" She moaned while peeling off the crust of her toast, much like a little kid.

"But no matter how many times I say no, he keeps asking me. And when I say no, he'll torment me in front of the whole school."

Miriam swung her head back and forth, "Don't give in Helga, that's what I did."

"You did?"

"Yeah your father was a reaaaallll…." She took a bite of toast and searched her mind for the right word, "Prick." She finally said. "I only dated him in the first place because he wouldn't go away." She threw her arms up in the air, "Now look where I am! Weeeeeeeee!" Then Miriam threw her head on the table.

Helga put a hand on her mother's shoulder for comfort. "It's okay mom." Miriam's display literally cracked her heart up. _That's what happened, mom? That's why you're like this?_

It was always clear to Helga that her mother suffered from depression. She just never knew the cause. She needed to help Miriam cope with her problems, but never knew how to help her. Drinking seemed like her only outlet. She even tried to take Miriam to rehab, but she never would go. So Miriam continued to deal with her depression by drinking.

_It's not like I'm much better._

Helga pulled up her jacket sleeve to reveal the aging scar on her arm. It read "Arnold" and alongside it was a small heart.

* * *

**xXxFlashbackxXx**

It was more than a year ago when she etched the name into her pale skin. Helga could remember that day vividly. Arnold left more than four months before, and Phoebe was busy with Gerald, leaving Helga alone and unrecognized. That day at school, Wolfgang started degrading her in front of everyone that he continued to do today. More than anything in the world, she wanted Arnold back home. Arnold left Helga on a bad note. They got into a huge fight over Arnold leaving, and said something she shouldn't have. She just wished that she could take back everything she said. But she knew it was too late for that.

Normally when Helga was most dismayed about Arnold's absence, she would write letters to him. But today, as she came home with tears running down her face, the knifes in the kitchen were quite tempting, so she grabbed one and ran upstairs to her room. Miriam wasn't home because the night before, Miriam was sent to the hospital for drinking more than her alcoholism could take. Big Bob was on a business trip in Mexico. No one was in the house.

Helga with the knife in her hand took a deep breath. She took the knife and spelt out the name "Arnold", on her forearm, letting her pain seep out.  
Helga threw the letters into her bag and left the house.

She rode her bike until she found herself Sunset Arms boarding house and stared at Arnold's old mail box. The one before he moved. Should she mail her letters? The ones she meant to mail, but never did? The ones she wanted to burn, but still kept in her drawers?

She pulled out the locket from her jacket with her Football Head's picture in it.

"Oh Arnold, if only you were here. I'm a mess without you. I just hurt myself over a boy. Over you. When will you return to me, my love? Or am I to remain here forever pained with your absence?" she sulked, pulling the locket in to her chest.

Tears ran down her face and then a mob of pets ran up to the boarding house. "It is his pig! His faithful steed Abner! Oh if only could see him, that football headed angel. If only I could smell his delicious shampoo! Huagh!" Helga sighed. Her attention now focused on the side of his house, where she could see his fire escape.

Helga thought back to the many times she climbed it to look at her beloved's room, the place she often visited in her dreams…and she found herself doing the same thing again. She left her bike on the side of the building, and started climbing the rungs one by one, until she reached the top. She heard several things coming from inside the house, including, "Susie, make me a sandwich!", so she knew people were home.

She reached the top of the building, looking into Arnold's skylight.

Memories of Helga's childhood stealth missions and all the times Arnold and Helga hung out while they dated flooded her thoughts when she saw his room for the first time in years.

She threw her jacket off and took out the letters from her backpack. The ones she wrote to Arnold, and she sat against his skylight and read them to herself.

_Dear Arnold,_

_Two months passed since you left for San Lorenzo. I miss you dearly my love. Why did you ever leave me Arnold? You're all that has been on my mind for weeks! I have become so cruel to everyone! The only person I have by my side is Phoebe! Please tell me that one day, you will come back to my angel. That one day we will meet again, and pretend like nothing ever happened. That you didn't break up with me, and that you still love me! Oh Arnold! Please come home soon, or I'll lose my sanity! I love you! How could I ever think not? Perhaps I will mail this to you. But we will see._

_ With Pining Remorse,_

_ Helga G Pataki_

She read the letter with disgust and ripped it apart.

_How could I ever write that? Or mailed it for that matter!_

Helga pulled another letter from her backpack and read it to herself.

_Dear Arnold,_

_I don't know why I'm writing this to you, because I obviously hate your guts, and you're a complete jerk, so don't get too flattered by this football head. Besides, it's not like I'm going to mail this to you or something. I'll probably leave it in my drawer because I'm too stubborn to mail this to you. I know I don't love you anymore, I know I hate you. I hate you with love. Wait no, I just hate you. GAH! Anyway, I just need to write to someone. So Gerald asked out Phoebe last week. I was really happy for them you know? But the problem is Phoebe has been kind of ignoring me. Well not ignoring, but blowing me off so she can hang out with Gerald. And she comes up with a lame excuse every time! I mean, it wouldn't be as bad if she just told me she was doing something with Gerald, but no! She will say something stupid like "Oh, I have a dentist appointment….again….so I can't do anything after school Helga." It's really starting to piss me off. I officially have no one to talk to. I can't help it though, ever since you left, I've been so quiet and angry to everyone. It's not because I'm upset you're gone though, I couldn't be more happy! Well, I'm not happy, but that's aside the point. The point is I'm all alone. You left me Arnold, and I hate your guts for it. I used to be so much nicer to everyone until you LEFT! AGH! _

_ Hopefully, this won't be sent to you._

_ Helga_

She ripped it and then Helga took out her locket and threw it across the roof of the building. She sat there crying until she fell asleep on Arnold's roof.

**xXxEnd of FlashbackxXx**

* * *

Helga still held her mother and softly said, "It's ok Mom. You're not alone."

_**PS. If you're reading this tonight, it's trending tuesday for Hey Arnold! Let's keep trending to save the Jungle Movie!**_

_**Join the group on facebook or sign the petition! (Just google it!)**_

_**Thanks for reading!**_


	6. Reasoning

**Chapter 5**

_Doink!_

He chucked darts in his room while the light rain continued to trickle down his window. He was so furious and frustrated.

_Doink!_

All he wants is her attention.

_Doink!_

But she kept humiliating him in front of the whole school.

_Doink! Bulls eye_

Most girls were head over heels for Wolfgang. Why wasn't Helga?

_Doink_

And now the whole football team knew about it. Wolfgang the womanizer, rejected by a girl? That never happens. They made fun of him all practice.

_Doink!_

Wolfgang, the school's quarterback being rejected by a loser like Pataki?

_Doink!_

Why wouldn't she want to go out with him? He's good-looking, an athlete, he's strong… what's missing?

_Doink!_

How could she refuse Wolfgang? The rejection only made him want her more.

_Crash! _Wolfgang missed the target completely and shattered his window. He snarled and tightened his fists. He set his mind. She was going to go out with him, no matter how much convincing…or force it takes…

* * *

Curly Gammelthorpe sat in his room. He hung upside down from the bed and his glasses were sliding off his face.

Curly tried talking to Mr. Simmons, the musical's director after rehearsal yesterday, but it didn't change anything…

* * *

**xXxFlashbackxXx**

After the first musical rehearsal, Mr. Simmons turned the stage lights off from the first rehearsal. All the kids had left fifteen minutes ago. The Brainy volunteered to stay after practice to help clean up. They had finished, and Brainy was on his way home, and Mr. Simmons shuffled his keys to lock the door to the auditorium.

"Mr. Simmons?" Said an anxious and distraught voice from behind him. Mr. Simmons shrieked and nearly peed his pants at the voice. As he turned around to find where it was coming from, he was surprised to see Curly, with a stiff upper lip.

"Oh Curly, it's just you." Mr. Simmons exhaled. He put a hand on his chest and felt his rapid heartbeat slowing down. "That was a very special rehearsal today, now wasn't it? You're going to be a wonderful Phantom, you know."

Curly crossed his brow, "That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about Mr. Simmons."

"About your part? Do you need help memorizing your lines? I know there's a lot, but we'll be able to do it. All we need is practice." He assured.

"No, I'm fine with lines and everything. It's just that I auditioned for the part of Raoul."

"Oh yes, well…" Mr. Simmons began.

"I auditioned for Raoul. I'm Raoul! It's me! I did! It's mine!" he cried.

"Actually Curly, Eugene's Raoul, I knew you would play the Phantom better."

Curly winced while Mr. Simmons spoke.

"Oh. Alright then Mr. Simmons. I guess. I'll see you later." And he left without giving Mr. Simmons a chance to respond.

**xXxEnd of FlashbackxXx**

* * *

He spoke, still upside down, "I tried to reason with you Mr. Simmons. Oh I did really. I wanted the part of Raoul. Oh I could taste it. But no! Mr. Simmons… You will curse the day that you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you!"

Lightning flashed outside his house as if his life was a horror movie, "BAHAHAHA! AHAHAAHA!"

A _KNOCK-KNOCK_ came from the door, which slowly creaked open. "Thaddeus? Is everything okay sweet cheeks?" His mother cooed.

Curly groaned, "Not now mother! Now get out of the Phantom's room!"

**_The quote from Curly, "You will curse the day that you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you!" is from the song "All I ask of you" from _****_The Phantom of the Opera (_****_Andrew Llyod Weber)_**

**_Thanks!_**


	7. First Lady's Locket

**Chapter 6**

Arnold's flight landed at around 11 am. The sights and smells of Arnold's hometown engulfed him in old memories with his friends. The times when they fixed the vacant lot and when they saved the old tree from being cut. The time when they scared the whole town on Halloween. The time he had a geek party on his roof. Those were the days….

Arnold waited at the baggage claim with his parents. He had to admit, he was nervous to see all of his old friends again, Gerald and the gang. Once they got their luggage and went through customs, they went outside the airport to wait for grandpa.

"Are you excited to see your friends again, Arnold?" asked his mom.

"My friends? Like which friends?"

"Oh come on, don't play dumb with me Arnold, like that boy with the funny afro, or that one girl with the unibrow."

Arnold's dad entered the conversation, "Yeah, she always used to come over. The one with the pink bow, right?"

"She was your girlfriend or something, right? Why don't you invite her over this weekend, I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on." His mom said pleasantly.

Arnold never told them that he broke up with Helga, "Uh…I don't think that's such a good ide-"

"Arnold! Miles! Stella!"

It was grandpa.

"Grandpa!" Arnold shouted. He didn't want to talk about Helga with his parents anymore. Best to avoid the conversation completely. They walked to the car, and put their bags in the trunk.

After they had settled in, Arnold went upstairs to his old room.

His blue wallpaper was still covered with little green aliens, and he found the remote control on top of his shelf. The stereo equipment was outdated, but he still wanted to keep it. It sounded pretty nice anyway. Same with his computer, but he knew he wasn't going to get a new computer anytime soon.

Arnold hit a button on his remote that made the ceiling lights turn on and he began to unpack.

After everything was unpacked, Arnold decided to take a walk up on the roof. He looked out over the horizon to point out some old landmarks of his. Gerald Field, which was now being used by Timberly and her friends, still looked up kept. The highway by the boarding house was fixed. Last time he saw it, it was broken in half, and Gerald made the jump with the bus so they could save the neighborhood. Arnold could see the water tower, the one they lit up in the fourth grade as a Halloween prank. As he continued to look out on the city's skyline, he spotted Helga's neighborhood. Arnold was quite tempted to walk over there himself to say hi to her.

_NOT a good idea. She's probably still fuming over me leaving._

It was quite sad really. They used to be so close. Inseparable really. They could talk about anything…

* * *

**xXxFlashbackxXx**

They used to lay on the floor and just talk. Talk about everything and anything for hours. Heck, they could even talk about carpeting for hours, and still enjoy themselves. A lot of times when Helga was stressed with Big Bob and Miram she could just let everything out about them, and Arnold wouldn't mind. He actually suggested it in the first place.

Early in Arnold and Helga's relationship, Helga walked into Arnold's room like always after school, and threw her backpack on the ground and slumped crisscross applesauce on the floor with her head in her hands. Big Bog and Helga got into a fight again, and she was moody all day. Arnold kept trying to figure out what was wrong, but she wouldn't let him in. He had a good feeling it was about something that went on at home, but he wasn't sure about what. Arnold walked into the room after Helga stormed through and sighed. He sat down next to Helga.

"Helga, I'm not going to ask again what happened. I'll just leave you. But I really think that this is unhealthy Helga. If you need to tell me something, or just someone in general, you can tell me. I'll be fine with whatever weight you throw at me."

Helga sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder, her hair fell onto his chest, "Arnold, you know how twisted Big Bob and Miriam are. I think you would be overwhelmed."

"Helga, I'll be fine. I'm just worried about you. You can't keep everything bottled up like this or you'll go insane."

"I already am insane, football head…" she mumbled, and Arnold laughed, lightening up the mood. Helga smiled, told him everything that had happened.

There were a lot of days like that, when Helga and Arnold talked about their problems. As if Arnold was Helga's football headed psychologist or something.

**xXxEnd of FlashbackxXx**

* * *

And now, he didn't even have the nerve to go and say hi.

_I'm a mess…_ Arnold thought. _I'm just a plain old mess._

The incoming clouds were outlined in pink and orange in the setting sun, and Arnold saw something gleaming in the corner of the roof. He must not have spotted it before…

Arnold walked over to where the sun reflected off of.

He saw a gold locket, one with a heart shape. It looked like it had been sitting there for a while. Maybe months since it had been left there? Arnold wasn't sure. But one thing was clear. His picture was in the center of it…

He picked up the locket. He had seen it many times before in his childhood.

_Is this Helga's?_

He pocketed it quickly and ran downstairs

* * *

"E-Z-Way driving, eh? Sounds a bit sketchy to me Stella."

"It'll be fine. I talked with Miriam earlier and she said her oldest took it and they thought it was great. She's signing up her youngest daughter for it too, so Arnold will have a friend in his class. Won't that be nice?" She took a sip from her coffee mug, which wasn't nearly as good as the coffee in San Lorenzo, but it would make do.

"Isn't that the gal with the one eyebrow?" He asked.

She laughed, "Yes Phil, she used to come over all the time, remember?"

"Oh yes I liked her. She's quite the character. I wonder how she is now." Phil definitely knew Helga Pataki. When Arnold was little, he would find Helga lurking around every now and then. Then when Arnold was in middle school, she would come over all the time. Pookie and Phil knew that they had a thing for each other, but they liked to pretend they were oblivious to the whole thing.

"Oh I've seen Eleanor. She was on top of the President's mansion a few months ago!" claimed Pookie.

The door creaked and Phil , Pookie and Stella looked into the doorway, where Arnold stood.

"Roosevelt!" Pookie shouted. "Pop a squat!"

"Arnold! Come sit with us, we signed you up for driver's training today!" his Mother urged.

"Great." He plopped down on the seat in between his mom and grandpa. "Grandpa, can I ask you something?"

Phil smiled, put his arm around his grandson.

"Shortman!" Grandpa started. "What's on your mind?"

Arnold dug into his pocket and pulled out a gold heart. "I found this on the roof."

"What is this Arnold, a token from your girlfriend in San Lorenzo? Grandpa chuckled, but Arnold didn't find his joke funny.

"I never had a girlfriend in San Lorenzo, Grandpa. I didn't like any one like that."

"WAIT! Don't tell me you're a homosexual now?!" he joked.

But Stella quickly interrupted, "If Arnold was a homosexual, we would completely support him…Phil…"

"MOM! I'm not gay!" Arnold quickly said.

"That's what they all say…" Phil said.

Arnold rolled his eyes. "Grandpa…"

"Alright, alright Shortman. About this locket…"

"I think belongs to-"

"Your friend with the one eyebrow?" he finished his sentence.

"That's right! It is Eleanor's! She left it here before her departure for the campaign!"

"Yeah." Arnold muttered. "The problem is, I haven't seen or heard from her this whole time I've been gone. We broke up before I left for San Lorenzo. I thought she was way past me."

"She probably is Arnold. Who would ever date you?" he teased.

"Phil, Arnold is a wonderful young man." Stella said, still drinking her coffee.

"Whatever you say, mom."

"I still think you should invite her over."

"NO." Arnold firmly said. "She hates me. Like, really hates me."

"Why? You two were joined at the hip before we left. Why would she hate you?"

"That's exactly why she hates me. Because I moved."

"I don't see why that would make a person hate you."

"AGH." He groaned and leaned his head into his hand.

"Arnold, I don't like the attitude, I just want to talk."

After a long silence, Pookie made sense of things.

"Well that means the first lady is still thinking about you." Grandma said.

"Why? She was the one mad at me! She could date anyone she wants."

Grandma shook her head, "When you love a person, they are always on your mind aren't they? Sometimes, you just can't let go of them, even if you part with them, because you really do love them." Her voice was serious, and there wasn't many times when Arnold heard it like this. He took her view into consideration.

"Well then what should I do?" Arnold asked.

"Follow your instincts, FDR!"

"Grandma, Helga isn't exactly the kind of person who likes to talk."

"Well eventually she'll come around." She remembered the class they were talking about with Stella. "Maybe you'll be stuck in a situation with her where you HAVE to get along with her."

"I doubt it." Arnold put his head in his hands. He looked just like his ten years old self again.

Phil punched him lightly on the arm. "Stay positive Arnold. And I'll give you the same advice my grandfather gave me…never eat raspberries…"

Arnold stood up and held the locket in his hand. "Thanks guys. I'm going to bed. G'night."


	8. New Student

**Chapter 7**

''You're listening to 94.1, The Edge! Up next is…"

_Blah blah blah blah. SHUSH. _

She hit the off button.

Helga felt like a gloomy cloud hovered over her, and the sad part was, the day hadn't even started.

Helga went downstairs and into the living room to find her mom.

_She should be on the couch as always…_

Instead she found her on the floor sleeping. Helga rolled her eyes and lightly kicked her mom.

_"_Drank too much last night, Miriam?"

"Wait, Helga, why am I on the floor?" Drool hung out of Miriam's mouth.

"It's a mystery," Helga said with her usual sarcasm, "Listen, I was wondering if you had any lunch money for me."

"Um yeah, here, take my credit card."

Helga snatched the plastic out of her mother's hand and said, "Mom… I can't buy lunch with a credit card." Helga's face turned into a scowl.

"Sure you can sweetie! Now where did I put my blender?" And Miriam left the room in search of her precious mixing machine.

Helga groaned and left the house on her bike to deliver the papers. She looked up at the cloudy sky. The weather man said it was supposed to rain later, but the weather man typically doesn't know what he's talking about. Helga shrugged, and made her way down the typical Vine St. route that morning, but she couldn't help herself from being distracted by the big red boarding house along the way. As she tossed the paper to the front of the stoop, she suddenly stopped.

She stared at the front door with a look of longing and pity.

"Helga?"

Helga's stomach dropped as soon as she heard the sound of someone's voice. She turned around, prepared for the worst. The sight before her made Helga shrivel.

The tall kid, with an awkward head, and cornflower hair, the boy with the red hot lips. Arnold smiled at her, as if he was happy to see her.

"Hi Hel-" he was interrupted when she tripped over her bike and onto the trash cans behind her. Her pupils amplified so far until there was no more blue to be seen in them and her cheeks started to burn red. She stared at him for a good five seconds, then changed her look of pining to a look of hatred and said, "What football head? I've got to get going, I'm busy!"

Arnold held out a hand to help her up. But she pushed it away, and said "I can get up myself ya know. I mean, Criminey!"

"I just wanted to help…" he began.

"Well, you shouldn't have. I'm going to be late for…school…" Her voice shook.

"It's six fifteen, Helga, school doesn't start for another hour and a half…"

"Well, then what are YOU doing out here, anyway? Shouldn't you be sleeping? DOI! Maybe I'm just delivering papers for some extra money, anyway gotta go." And she rode off without giving Arnold a second glance.

Maybe if she had, she would have noticed the hurt in Arnold's face. He wanted to say so much to her, he had thought that their first REAL rejoice in two years would be so much different. Happier. She just kept closing him out and leaving.

_Maybe I'll just talk to her at school._ Arnold thought

* * *

"Alright everyone! I would like you to place your poetry assignments from last night on my desk, please. I know these will all be very speci-"

"Good Morning Hillwood! Here are your morning announcements…" A voice interrupted on the intercom. Mr. Simmons chose to direct the High Schoolers musical a few years ago, and ever since, he's been offered a full time teaching job. The classes he taught were Dramatics I and II, AP English, and Creative Writing, along with directing the musicals at Hillwood. He was very excited for this year's "special" musical; Phantom of the Opera. There were many wonderful actors in the show, and the ticket sales were supposed to be announced today.

After many useless messages, the announcement about the musical finally came on.

"A special shout out to all of the students who are a part of Phantom of the Opera! Tickets for opening night will go on sale today. Congratulations on all the hard work! Way to go guys! And as always, have a great day, and be safe." The speaker clicked off.

The kids arose with discussion about the cast, but Mr. Simmons quieted down the class to start his class. "People! People! Let's all quiet down, please!"

"Sorry Simmons, but we're all looking forward to seeing the twisted freak play the lead role." Retorted one of his favorite students, Helga Pataki. He smiled. Helga was an excellent writer ever since she was in his 4th grade class, and he loved reading her work. Sure, she was snappy sometimes, but she didn't bully the other kids like she did in elementary school. As a matter of fact, Helga had toned down quite a bit. She was a great student and sat in the front. But she didn't really talk much to the other kids in class, which concerned him. Maybe she just had friends in other classes or something. A lot of times, Helga would stay after school and help Mr. Simmons grade papers and things. When he asked her why she would stay after school, she would simply say, "It's better than staying at home."

"Actually Helga, Curly is a very special actor who has many unique qualities about him! I promise you, he is the perfect Phantom." He assured.

"Yeah, that's only cause he's a wacko, like the Phantom's supposed to be." She rolled her eyes, and suddenly the door at the front of the class creaked open.

A young man with messy blond hair, and a small blue cap walked in. It sort of looked like Arnold (he couldn't remember his last name) from his 4th grade class.

"Hi, Mr. Simmons," he spoke up, in a deep but calm voice. "Is this the right class? Creative Writing?"

"Arnold! Is that you? My, my, time flies by, doesn't it? Yes you're in the right class. We'll have to talk at the end of class, but for now, take a seat!" Mr. Simmons motioned toward a seat next to Helga. He caught a glimpse of Helga's body language which shouted "NO!" he couldn't do much about it though. It was the only desk available. "We were just about to begin. I have planned a very special assignment for you all! I want you all to write two short stories and we will share them at the end of class!"

He was answered by groans, although none came from the two kids sitting in the front. Mr. Simmons left the head of the class to his desk. He didn't know he was supposed to get a new student, most likely because he didn't check his email. Sure enough, there was an unread email notification on the computer:

From: malbertus

To: rsimmons

Subject: New Student

Hi Robert,

We've just been informed that we have a new student coming into your class. His name is Arnold, however, his parents didn't give a last name… he just moved here from San Lorenzo. He will be placed in your first hour Creative Writing Class. Please do your best to welcome him to Hillwood.

-Principal Mike Albertus, Hillwood Central High

_So Arnold just moved back from San Lorenzo? Wow, how special._ Mr. Simmons thought.

He began to correct the stack of poems on his desk. There was certain kids in his class that he knew didn't give any effort. For example, Wolfgang's poems weren't exactly quality work. Most of the time he wrote about taking advantage of his girlfriends. He read the Haiku in front of him by Wolfgang.

"That stupid bitch

She broke a table with my face

Why does she not like me?"

He shook his head. Mr. Simmons wrote on the top of the assignment, "No profanity please. Otherwise it was very special." He drew a small smiley and graded the next few poems. This one was by Gerald Johnson. Gerald liked to write short raps for his poems.

"The kid is back

The man with the small hat

He's jumpin' down the street

With a brand new beat

My oh my, he's so fly

He's gonna make it to the sky."

Mr. Simmons smiled, and wrote, "Way to be creative! That was very very special!" and added another smiley.

After several other poems, he came across one that made him stop and think.

"Bags under her eyes,

Her hair a mess,

Drink, drank, drunk,

The vile poison stains her dress,

How can I help her if I can't help myself?"

Mr. Simmons read the poem by Helga Pataki again. And again. Most of the time, Helga wrote about the loss of friendships, which was normal for teenage life. But the poem by Helga Pataki made him quite concerned. He wrote, "That was a very special free verse." What else could he write? She definitely followed the assignment, and took an extra step by letting her feelings out like he intended in his poetry assignments, but the dark tone given off by the poem made him fear for Helga's well-being. He set the poem aside to continue grading the rest.

* * *

The bell rang, and students started to file out the door, but he called a student over, "Helga! Do you mind if I talk with you for a second?" Mr. Simmons called. She shrugged and stood by her desk. But Arnold came to talk with Mr. Simmons too.

"Arnold! So nice to see you again! I heard you came back from San Lorenzo?" He held out his hand to shake Arnold's. Helga stood at her desk, waiting for Mr. Simmons to finish his rendezvous with Arnold. He was surprised she didn't act a little friendlier to him. After all, it was his first day back.

"Yeah, my parents and I were there for a few years for a nature study, but now I'm back. I didn't know you teach high school now." Arnold said.

"As a matter of fact I do, I'm directing the musical this year too. But I'm glad to hear you are doing well. If you need anything, let me know, I will be more than happy to help!" Mr. Simmons offered.

"Thanks, Mr. Simmons, I'll see you later." He smiled and walked away from the desk. "Bye Helga," he added. She stood there like a paralyzed squirrel, careful not to say anything. Her dilated eyes followed him out the door, and finally when he was out of sight, Helga relaxed. She strode over to Mr. Simmons' desk.

"What's the problem, Simmons?" she asked casually.

Mr. Simmons wanted to talk about her poem she wrote, and wondered how to approach this carefully, because he knew otherwise, Helga would snap. "That was a um…very special poem you wrote last night Helga."

"Oh. Thanks I guess." She said a little confused. "Is that all you wanted to say?"

"Uh…no Helga. I was just wondering if there is anything you need to talk about." He replied. Mr. Simmons knew that Helga had problems at home, and most of the time she knew how to handle them. That was very special for a young girl to be able to do. "You're a very special person, and I don't want anything to ever make you change, alright?" he added.

"Wait, what?" she held her books a little tighter.

"Helga, you're poem that you wrote for me seemed a little…well…dark… and I'm worried about you because I care."

"So what you're saying is, you think I'm crazy or something?" Helga raised half of her brow, and drummed her fingers on the back of her binder.

"I never said that Helga, it's just that I've known you for a long time, and you almost seem like a daughter to me. I just want you to know that if you ever need to talk about something, I'm here."

She studied him for a while, and then the drumming of her fingers stopped. It seemed like she considered taking up his offer right now, but she just said, "Thanks Mr. Simmons. I'll let you know if there's anything we need to…talk about." She smiled warmly.

"Alright, Helga I'll see you later then."

"Bye Mr. Simmons," she walked out of the room to journey off to her next class.

_**Ok, I realize that the poem I wrote for Helga is a dud. If she really wrote it, it would be amazing! But my poetry isn't that good. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! **_

_**And as always, Save The Jungle Movie!**_


	9. Fall Into Place

**Chapter 8 **

The school day ended and Helga was at her locker on the lookout for Phoebe. Everyone had cleared the halls, and Helga had been waiting for her for fifteen minutes now. But where was Phoebe? If she didn't get her keester here soon, they were going to be late! Most likely she was off somewhere trying to smooch with Gerald, but she needed to find her to ask her about driver's ed. Where was Phoebe? If she was supposed to take driver's ed with her wouldn't she text her or something? She should be waiting out here so they can go together. She's probably too busy with Geraldo anyway to remember.

As she grabbed her books from her locker, a hand touched her lower back, then slid down to her back pocket, making her jump and drop her books on the floor. Helga turned around to see none other than Wolfgang.

_SMACK_ The back of her hand wasn't very forgiving.

"WOLFGANG!" He stepped back from the force of Helga's hit. "What do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

Wolfgang touched his face where the red hand mark was. He grabbed the collar of her jacket with two hands. "What am I doing? What are you doing?! You are the only girl I know who doesn't what to go out with me. WHY?"

She crossed her arms as she looked up at him. "I think we've been over this, Wolfgang."

"Alright then. You have five seconds. Go out with me or not." He threatened, pulling on her jacket collar even more.

Helga scowled, and spat in Wolfgang's face. "I said no."

Wolfgang was fed up with this. He threw her skinny body into her locker and then slammed it shut.

"WOLFGANG!"

"Adios, Helga." Helga heard his footsteps walk away.

She banged on the locker

"HELP!"

She banged the locker until her hand was tired and beginning to bleed. But no one came. She was stuck, and no one was going to help her.

* * *

Curly had three hours of nothing to do before rehearsal was supposed to begin. He was planning on plotting revenge on Eugene, but he lacked the right incident to pull revenge on. He needed to do something that would seem like an accident, but something that could almost take him out completely from the play. But what?

Eugene walked out of the school talking with Rhonda about their parts for the musical. Curly hid behind a trash can. They seemed ecstatic.

"Eugene, this will be so fun! I'm so excited. I can't believe it! Well, I mean I can, because who wouldn't choose me as the lead role? I mean, come on. I'm Rhonda Lloyd." Rhonda boasted.

"You'll do awesome!" Eugene said with enthusiasm. "I'm glad that we'll get to work together."

"Oh yes, we get to share a kiss, now don't we? At least I get to kiss you and not some freak…like Curly for example." She tossed her hair long dark hair over her shoulder, which made her look dazzling, and made Curly burn even more with envy.

"But he'll be a great Phantom, won't he?" Eugene said.

"Of course, but only because he's suck a freak."

_I'm a freak now, huh? We'll just see about that Rhonda when you have to kiss me when Eugene is…taken care of…_

"I'll see you later Rhonda, I've got to get to driver's ed."

_What's that I hear? Driver's education class? How convenient…_

Eugene walked down the street toward his old elementary school, and Curly ran back inside.

* * *

Helga wasn't sure how much time had passed until she heard a voice in the hallways.

"The Phantom of the Opera is here…inside your mind…" It quietly hummed.

"Hello?" Helga's voice cracked.

"WHO'S THERE?" The voice panicked, then whispered, "Don't tell me you're the angel of music! That's my job! Well, I mean, it's the damn job that Simmons gave me. I wanted Raoul! But if you are my angel of music, let me know. Maybe you can help me take revenge on Raoul!"

"No. It's Helga you twit. There is no angel of music."

"Helga? Where?"

"Over here. I'm in a locker. Locker 1028. Now get me out of here you moron!"

She heard footsteps walk over to her side of the hall.

"What's your combo?"

"36-12-6." The lock spun, then the handle was lifted and Helga was greeted by bright light and Curly Gammelthorpe.

"Curly? What are you doing here?"

"Nothing." He replied quickly and began to rub his hands.

"Ok well thanks for getting me out of there…"

"You're not the angel of music?" he asked.

"What the hell is the angel of music?"

"Nothing! Now now, do you know where the circuit breaker box is?"

"Um…yea, it's under the auditorium…" Helga said slowly.

Curly looked up and down the hallway. "I said nothing!" Then he ran down the hallway and turned the corner.

She shook her head. "Poor twisted little freak." And made her way outside to get to driver's Ed before she was later than she already was.

* * *

Arnold sat in the back of the class for driver's ed while examining his teacher, Ms. Johnson. She was a short plump woman. Well, plump isn't exactly the right description. More like very plump. She dyed her aging hair red-orange, and her very large glasses sat on the edge of her nose, making her eyes look like two creepy marbles. She wore some weird scarf thing around her neck. It seemed too small for her, making her body look even larger.

Arnold made it to class early because he took the bus. He didn't really know what to do other that stare at Ms. Johnson's large body, or just sit mindlessly.

A few other kids filed in, it looked like there was some kid who had failed this at least three times, because he looked like a college thug. There was a petite short girl who walked in. She looked more anorexic than petite, but Arnold didn't want to make any judgments. Another girl walked in wearing yoga pants and too much makeup. Her yoga pants were so tight that you could see her bright green thong right through them, and the "Love Pink" on the collar was completely bedazzled. Arnold wondered how fake rhinestones on your pants make them comfortable. Then another guy walked in with rainbow suspenders and a bow tie. Arnold couldn't keep himself from assuming he was gay. Then Eugene Horowitz came into class, and Arnold breathed a sigh of relief from knowing someone in his class. Grandpa told him that he and his mom signed him up with a friend, but this morning, Grandpa refused to tell him who it was. He wondered why he didn't tell him that it was Eugene.

"Arnold! I'm so glad I have a friend in this class! I saw you around the halls today and heard you came back from San Lorenzo last night! How exciting!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's nice to see you man." Arnold said. Eugene sat down next to him. "Didn't you make the musical?"

"Oh yes, I'm very excited working my role. I'm surprised that Mr. Simmons chose all sophomores for the leading roles, especially for a show like Phantom of the Opera, but you know that's beyond me." Eugene shivered a bit and continued to talk, "I'm glad I made it here when I did, it was sprinkling for the last few blocks on my way, and now it's starting to pick up."

Sure enough, they heard thunder from outside and the rain that dropped on the roof fell loud and rapidly.

Ms. Johnson stood up from her desk and sat in the small desk at the front of the class. "Class, class," she began, trying to quiet the chatting kids, but the door swung open and a girl with a scowl on her face stood in the frame dripping wet. Ms. Johnson's head turned like an owl's toward the door. "Excuse me Ms.? You're late for class." Ms. Johnson said. Her voice sounded like someone had plugged her nose. Helga gave her the death stare and simply growled, "Sorry, Ms."

"I'll let you off the hook this time, but this will never happen again, understood?" She said.

"Whatever." Helga snapped.

"Please take a seat."

The only seat available was the one in front of Eugene, so Helga moped over there.

Her cap and hair was soggy, and her shoes sounded and look like sponges when she walked. Every step she took resulted in a squeaky and wet puddle. The varsity jacket she wore was extremely wet too. Arnold read the back which said, "Varsity Softball," while she tripped over her long wet jeans.

"Hi Helga." Eugene said.

"Hi," She snarled and sat down, one leg crossed under her butt, the other one still on the floor. Her elbows supported her tensing shoulders on the desk, making her look extremely edgy in her seat.

"Hi Helga," Arnold said. But Helga didn't say anything. Her brow was crossed and she simply stared at the ceiling. The last thing she wanted was more of Arnold's pity. She must look so weak to him. She felt vulnerable, and she hated that.

Arnold hardly paid any attention to Ms. Johnson's lesson. He chose to eye Helga instead.

After a while, Arnold looked out the window to see if the rain stopped. The rain had slowed, but Arnold swore he saw black hair on the top someone's head in the window sill. Maybe it was nothing. He turned back to listen into some of Ms. Johnson's lesson. She sat in a desk while she taught, and from Arnold's point of view, she looked much like a chicken sitting down. He mentally laughed and drew a picture of her as a chicken in his driver's training booklet. He drew a speech bubble that said "cluck cluck…" and put on big glasses around her face. There were feathers around her for emphasis.

Ms. Johnson must have caught on that Arnold wasn't paying attention, because she called him out, "Young man? In the blue?"

Arnold blinked, "Huh? Me? I'm Arnold."

"I'll make sure to remember that." She frowned, "Pay attention, please." Her nasally voice sounded even more annoying right now, but Arnold smiled sweetly, twiddled his pen and said, "Yes Ms. Johnson."

Once she took her eyes off of him, Arnold rolled his eyes. He saw Helga turned toward him, "Nice going football head." She whispered, and turned around.

_Whatever you say Helga…_He thought. Arnold rested his awkward head on his hand, and after a while of sitting mindlessly, Arnold found himself drawing Helga in his driver's Ed booklet. He drew her with her pigtails down, and a bow in place of her dark cap. She wore a plaid shirt that Arnold pictured as pink, and a small bracelet with a heart. Arnold shaded in her cheeks to look flushed, and a pleasant smile on her face. He held the picture for a while before crossing it out.

_No way will Helga EVER try to look that nice._

He drew another picture to look like her normal self. Her hair was in two pigtails in this one, with her cap holding them down. She sat into her hip and crossed her arms over her old pink shirt dress. Arnold put a speech bubble too, "Go away Football head,"

He slumped more in his seat, and wrote above the pictures "Imaginary Helga," and "The actual Helga."

Arnold bit his lip and looked over at Helga again. Then back at the clock. Only five minutes left of class. He decided it would be useful to tune in to Ms. Johnson's lecture again. She had basically spent the whole two hours talking about classroom conduct and her policies in class, but now she was talking about something interesting.

"At the end of class today, I want you to choose two driving partners for the rest of this segment. You will write your names down together on this clipboard and then when we begin driving, I will pair you up with them. You have the rest of the time to yourselves." She hobbled out of her chair and put the clipboard on her teaching desk. Then she waddled over to her computer desk, opened up a diet Mountain Dew, and sat down.

Eugene turned toward Arnold and said, "Driving partner?"

"Yeah sure." Arnold said.

Eugene tapped Helga on the shoulder. Apparently she had been sleeping in an upright position during class, because she jumped in her seat and said, "Eugene! Crimeny, how long was I out?" She wiped the drool off of her face hastily.

Arnold chuckled, "Way to sleep in class, Helga…" At first she was startled by the fact that Arnold was talking to her, and looked quite perplexed. But her expression was quickly replaced by a scowl and a cross answer. "It's not funny, Arnaldo, now why did you wake me up?" she glared at Eugene.

"Want to be our driving partner?" Eugene asked.

She looked around the room. Everyone else had been paired up. She sighed and said, "So, I have to drive with the walking jinx and the football head?"

Eugene seemed abashed, "Well, yeah I guess."

"Fine." She said and looked directly into Arnold with a look so penetrating; it felt like she was staring into his soul. "But this doesn't mean we're friends or anything."

Arnold rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever you say Helga."

"That's right. Whatever I say."

* * *

She walked past the entrance of playground, and looked inside to see if anyone was there. It was still raining, but she wanted to stay outside. She needed some fresh air. But mostly, she knew that Arnold was most likely going to try to walk her home. Like some kind of pity walk. She didn't want that. She needed to look strong in front of him. Helga rolled her bike over to the bike rack, and sat on the bench against the wall. From this angle, less rain would hit her.

She sighed and hunched over.

_"You're gone, gone, gone away, I watched you disappear. All that's left is a ghost of you."_  
_"Now we're torn, torn, torn apart, there's nothing we can do. Just let me go, we'll meet again soon."_

She quietly sang to herself.

For a second, she thought she saw something moving coming from the corner of her eye.

"Who's there?" She shouted at the play sets. When she heard no reply, Helga groaned and relaxed a little. "I'm a basket case…" She mumbled.

Sure enough, she heard someone laugh manically behind her.

Helga immediately screamed and pulled her legs up to her chest for protection.

When Curly Gammelthorpe emerged from the shadows, she sighed a breath of relief, and then proceeded to yell at him. "CURLY! WHAT THE HELL?"

"Helga! Darling! I wanted to talk to you about something!" He said innocently, and clasped his hands together, like he was frolicking through a meadow or something.

She stood up and crossed her arms, "Look Curly, I know you're a freak, but this is just weird. Don't you have rehearsal Curly? How is it that you're standing here? And how did you know I was at the playground? Were you waiting for me or something? What's your deal?"

"I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING FIRST. THE PHANTOM DOESN'T TAKE QUESTIONS."

"WHAT? What could you POSSIBLY have to say?"

He put his hands behind his back and began walking slowly back and forth. "I, Thaddeus Curly Gammelthorpe, have an offer to present to you..."

"Oh great. Do tell." Helga snapped.

"It all starts with jealousy you see..." he put his fingers together and began to drum them against each other. "Your dear Arnold..."

"ARNOLD?" She choked.

Curly began to walk around Helga, "Yes sweet Helga, Arnold, your lover boy..."

"My 'lover boy?'" she asked defensively.

"He has returned, yes?"

"What's it to you?"

"Everything, Helga, everything. You and Arnold were once more than friends, yes?"

"We broke up a long time ago." She furrowed her brow and turned to avoid his creepy gaze, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you still have feelings."

"I DON'T, and I don't want to talk about it, Curly." She growled.

"Well this is good! This is great! This is just dandy! You see Helga, I know how to make Arnold fall in love with you again..." he offered, "I know how to make him furious..." He said deviously and crept around her turned back and held both her shoulders while he whispered quietly into her ear. "You just have to do one thing..."

Arms crossed and a scowling face, Helga stood, not allowing Curly to break to her interior. But she allowed him to continue, because she was definitely interested in what he was selling.

"You just have to go out with Wolfgang." he said simply.

"WHAT?" she turned around and yelled in his face, making him lean back, and Helga seem to tower over him. "How do you know about Wolfgang, and why would I EVER do that?" she asked.

Curly smiled, knowing that his plan so far was starting to come into play, "Oh, a little birdy told me. Besides, how could I not? The whole school knows about it now, after my swe-" he stopped and shook his head, "my co-star came ranting into rehearsal one day. I've never seen her perfect face so angry."

"Do you mean Rhonda?" she shivered.

"Yes, my Rhonda...my Christine... she seemed very upset about it. 'How is Wolfgang in love with Helga Pataki when he hardly talks to me? Am I a turn off or something?'" he took a deep breath, "WHY WOULD YOU EVER WANT HIS ATTENTION WHEN YOU HAVE ME? ALWAYS STANDING IN THE SHADOWS, ALMOST INVISIBLE TO YOU." he screamed to himself. "That's why you, Helga, need to go out with him." He grabbed her arms again and pulled her close to him.

She turned her head to avoid eye contact. "What's in it for me?"

"Jealousy, remember? Arnold will see you with Wolfgang, and he will become envious like this." He snapped his fingers. "By going out with Wolfgang, you make yourself more valuable to Arnold."

Helga stood silent, trying to pull herself away. She thought back to what her mother said about Big Bob. "No. I won't go out with him. Ever."

"You WILL Helga Pataki. You WILL go out with Wolfgang. And then, Rhonda will grow exceedingly jealous. And then, she will try to make Wolfgang jealous by going out with none other than..." his voice had risen to a shout, but he ended his sentence really softly, "...Me." He took another deep breath and gripped Helga tighter. "You will go out with him or else."

"Or else what?" she retorted. She really wanted to spit in that crazy kids face right now, but his response would be unimaginable. She could already feel bruises starting to form on her arms from his tight grasp.

"Maybe perhaps...a little Shortman will disappear...MWAHAHAHAHA."

"CURLY. FINE. I'LL DO IT IF IT WILL SHUT YOU UP." She used all of her strength to pull herself out of Curly's grasp and made her way to the bike rack. "You better not lay a finger on Arnold, you freak!"

" As long as you hold on to your end of the deal. I'll be watching my sweet. You know I have contacts..."

"Yeah, yeah Curly, whatever." She threw one leg over the bike and positioned her feet. "Bye."

"Goodbye now!" He said with too much cheer.

When Helga was out of his range, she began to cry slowly.

_Would he actually hurt Arnold?_

* * *

That day after school, Rhonda Wellington Lloyd found the note on her car, scribbled in messy handwriting. It read, "I've got one eye on the road and one on you."

Now she sat in her luxurious bedroom rereading the note.

Could it be a note from a secret admirer of some sort? Not that she wasn't used to it of course.

But still, the note was strange, and she didn't really know what to think of it. She folded it up and put it in her Coach purse so tomorrow she could show it to Nadine. Maybe she'll know what it means…

**A/N: Now I want your opinion, to make Arnold jealous, or not to make Arnold jealous? Also, I hoped you liked my description of Ms. Johnson...she's real people. Oh yeah, and Curly. I was feeling quite devious tonight... Anywho, Thanks for reading as always!**


	10. Make Outs and Blackouts

**A/N: Hey Guys! I'm loving the reviews! **

**This chapter has a reference to Mean Girls and a Hey Arnold episode, so see if you can find them!**

**Happy Hunting and Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

He was going to be late.

He was going to miss her!

Him! Brainy!

He came in early to fix up the backstage equipment, and easily lost track of time. The new dropping chandelier just came in today, and Brainy had the best time ever this morning setting it up for the show.

Unfortunately, he spent too much time admiring it, because he was late.

Helga would be gone from her locker any second now! He had to see her once before school started today… even if she did punch him in the face…

He did his best to make it quickly to his "viewpoint." However, due to his speed walking, Brainy looked more awkward than ever, almost as if there was something up his butt…

But he made it on time, with some time to spare and heaved louder than usual because of his physical exertion. When he peered around the corner to look for Helga, he saw one of the most repulsive things he had ever witnessed.

Helga was swapping spit with Wolfgang.

WOLFGANG.

Were his eyes deceiving him? Was this some kind of joke? What the hell?

Brainy rubbed his eyes to make sure this wasn't some kind of vision.

But, sure enough, they kept going.

As a matter of fact, it was kind of hot. Hot to watch.

But wait, back up, Helga is in love with Arnold…Brainy knew because of all of the times he stalked her. Her heart could never be moved, she loved Arnold, and she hated Wolfgang. If she hated Wolfgang, then why the hell was she making out with him?

There's no way she would ever do that.

But she clearly was, and was putting on a nice show for the whole entire school.

Lots of kids walked by, half in disgust at the PDA in the hallway, and the others in complete shock.

Brainy heard a, "Mmm, mmm, mmm! Ain't nobody got time for that. Get a room…" and Gerald took Phoebe's hand and they left the scene.

Rhonda and Nadine walked by, and when Rhonda saw what was going on, she scowled, turned red with anger, and stomped off in the other direction, with Nadine following behind. From behind them, a short dark haired kid peered around a corner on the opposite of the hallway. Curly's eyes were watching Rhonda go down the hallway, and he had a foul grin on his face.

This isn't like Helga, what is she doing?

Suddenly, Brainy heard a SLAP, and he directed his attention toward the sound, which must have been caused by Arnold. He was sitting on his butt, his books sprawled on the hall floor, and the Wet Floor sign lied next to him. His mouth gaped open, but when he realized he was on the floor, and everyone was staring at him, including Wolfgang and Helga, he quickly picked his things up, "Um…I must have uh…slipped. I'm okay though…"

Feeling like Eugene, and quite embarrassed, Arnold stood up and dusted himself off, and walked to his class with a wet spot on his butt.

Wolfgang turned back to Helga to resume their previous make out session, but she took her books, closed her locker and pushed Wolfgang away, "I…I…have to go to the bathroom…bye." She held her books teddy bear style and quickly walked off, with a red face.

* * *

She sat in the pool's bleachers and was skipping her first hour. Her head rested in her hands. Brainy wasn't sure if she was crying or not, but one thing's for sure, he'd never seen Helga Pataki cry. Something was up, and Brainy wanted to help, but how? It's not like he could just walk up to her and say, "Oh, I was watching you, and I'm wondering if you're ok."

No.

She would definitely punch him.

Besides, Brainy was so awkward, he wouldn't be able to get that sentence out straight.

Maybe he should just pretend to walk in?

Maybe he's doing maintenance on the pool or something? He was the tech guy around school, she would buy it.

But one thing was for sure, he needed to talk to her. She wasn't being herself with all that make out crap earlier.

Brainy crept back up to the main entrance, and opened the door casually.

Helga looked up from where she was sitting to reveal puffy eyes, "Hey Brainy." She said quietly.

"Uh…Hi Helga…" he walked toward the railing before the bleachers, "Uh…are you…okay?"

She chuckled softly and looked away, "Everything's just peachy."

"Uh…are you sure?"

"What's it to you?"

"Well…you're not…uh…acting like your…uh…self. And I uh…care about you, Helga."

She looked at him with her ocean blue eyes wide. "Are you…talking about this morning? Because that wasn't me back there Brainy. You know me, I wouldn't do that."

"Uh…"

"Look, I would tell you if I could Brainy, but I can't, okay?"

"Tell me what?"

She groaned, "I don't like Wolfgang. At all. I would stay as far away as possible from him as possible if I could."

"So then…uh…why did you…uh…."

"Make out with him? I can't tell you." She looked away.

"Why?"

"I just can't, that's all, okay?!"

"Well…okay I guess." He said, he sat down next to her on the bleachers, "But…uh…what about Arnold?" She sighed, but Brainy continued, "You love him."

Helga and Brainy had a silent agreement, Brainy knew all about Arnold and Helga from his stalking sessions and Helga knew that, but Helga and Brainy just kept it a secret between them. An unspoken agreement.

She sat silent.

"Right?" Brainy asked.

"I don't even know anymore." She turned to Brainy, "He doesn't love me. He just feels sorry for me."

"Helga…I…uh…know he loves you…"

"Why, do you stalk him too?"

He laughed with a snort, "I can…uh…just tell by the…uh…way he looked at you…"

"Whatever." She stood up, rubbed her eyes with the back of her free hand, and picked her books up. "I should probably get back to class now."

"Yeah…uh…I should too…"

"I'll see you around Brainy."

"Bye Helga."

* * *

She crept into class while with Mr. Simmons' back turned as he wrote something on the whiteboard. Thankfully, the door was in the back of the classroom, so Mr. Simmons might not notice that she came in late. But as soon as Helga sat down in the back of the classroom, Mr. Simmons said with his back turned, still writing, "Helga we can talk after class." And all the eyes in the class turned back on her, including Wolfgang and Arnold.

She smiled sheepishly, "'Kay, Mr. Simmons."

Helga heard a girl with black hair in the front of the class whisper to her friend, "She's probably late because she was too busy making out with Wolfgang." Amused with her own joke, she continued, "They were in the projection room above the auditorium!"

Her friend giggled quietly.

"Rhonda…" Helga growled quietly to herself.

"Rhonda, stop." Arnold whispered.

_ARNOLD?_

"Class, quiet down," Mr. Simmons said with his back turned writing on the board still.

Suddenly, the fire alarms blared, the warning lights flashed, and everyone stood up to make their way out of the room.

"Oh my! Class! This isn't a drill! We need to stay calm and-" Mr. Simmons shouted, and students began to run out of the class, cutting him off. He followed the kids out the door.

Helga's heart started to pound with adrenaline. This old school had such bad infrastructure that it could be burnt to a crisp in a few minutes. She had to hurry out, but kids ran past her and caused her to trip, making a loud thud on the ground.

"Helga! Come on let's go!" Arnold shouted, being the only one waiting for her. Everyone else ran outside. She ran for the door, and then the lights went out. The alarms stopped, and they were surrounded by blackness.

The intercom clicked on, and a maniacal laugh was heard through the speakers, "Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as Hell! " and the voice laughed again.

People outside the room began to scream in terror.

"Arnold! Where are you?"

"Here!" He took her hand. Helga felt herself go pink from holding it.

"What's going on?"

"I have no idea,"She could hear the fear in his voice, and his palm was beginning to sweat. Or was it her palm sweating?

"No one can touch me. I am invisible. I hide in the shadows like a phantom. The electricity is in my control, not the janitors, not the officials, but by me. And the light you cherish can be turned on again. On one condition…" the intercom spoke to the school, "Eugene Horowitz is needed in the auditorium…alone"

* * *

**A/N: BUM BUM BUM...**

**Hostage Eugene...should he go or not? Hmmmm...**

**Did you find the references?**


	11. Blackmail

**A/N: This chapter took forever to write! Mostly because I'm unsure of how I want the characters to play out, so let me know what you want to see happen in the reviews!**

**Anyway, I was feeling a little goofy when I wrote about the janitors...you'll see...**

**So yeah... ENJOY!**

**Chapter 10**

He hid on the catwalk in the auditorium, with a small flashlight in his hand. The microphone that connected to the intercom lay next to him, the switch on "off" and he had left his blackmail letter on the table prop on the stage, with the spotlight on it.

"For Eugene," it said. "You took her away, oh, you took my place. You took her for yourself, but guess what? I am capable of more than you think. I can make every one of your living days a nightmare like my own. But there's another option. Drop Raoul. You know what you have to do. And I'll be watching. You have three weeks until ShowTime. You know what you have to do."

_Oh my, how intimidating. I wonder if he'll pee his pants while reading it. Ha I'm such a troll._

All of the pieces of his plan were falling into place.

First, Helga did as she was told. And the look on Arnold's face when she did it! How priceless…

And thanks to Helga, Rhonda is just shimmering with envy! Not long before I'll have her wrapped around my finger.

Now, all that's left is to scare the living snot out of Eugene…

Suddenly, Curly could hear footsteps and muffled voices coming from outside the auditorium.

"Why would he want him in the auditorium, ALONE? D'ya think the kid is waiting in there for 'im or somethin'?" said a familiar voice. One with a familiar Scottish accent. The only people with Scottish accents in the school was the infamous…

_It's the janitors, DAMN! What could they want?_

"Look, do you think I know? All we're supposed to do is go in there, turn the power back on, try to see what this person wants with Edward Holowartz or whatever, and then leave and be on our merry way! Just stop asking questions Boyd, 'cause I won't be able to answer them." said the other janitor, Rory. He too had a Scottish accent.

Curly started to panic. He lay flat on the catwalk to avoid making any noise.

He heard keys unlock the door on the side of the theater.

_CLUNCK_

The door creaked open and the sound echoed off of the empty space in the room. Flashlights from below lit up the empty auditorium. Curly could see Rory and Boyd from below. Rory was a shorter, stalker man, with dark hair, a wide nose, and a short beard. Boyd was tall and skinny, and had ginger skin with light blonde hair.

These weren't the smartest people around

"Eh! The spot lights on, Rory,"

"Well of course it's on. How could I not see it?"

"I'm just letting you know."

They walked down the rows of seats and climbed up the stairs leading to the stage.

"Crazy old goat left a note." Whispered Rory.

"Blackmail. Ever heard of it? Last week I was watching T.V. and there was some show where some guy blackmailed this one guy, and then the guy didn't listen to the blackmail, so then the next day, the other guy took his pocket knife and" he made a stabbing sound effect with his flashlight, "killed the guy. Pretty scary, eh?"

Rory pushed Boyd away from him, "I KNOW what blackmail is Boyd, I'm not stupid like you are. Besides, do you really think that's true? It's just T.V. you moron."

"Sorry."

Rory picked up the note on the table and unfolded it.

"Wha' does it say, wha' does it say?!" Boyd leaned over Rory's shoulder and tried to read it.

"Back off you fool! I'll read it if you give me breathing room!"

"Sorry, Rory."

Rory rolled his eyes and straightened out the creases on the paper. "It says, 'For Eugene,'"

"I told ya 'is name wasn't Edward."

"It doesn't matter anyways. Here, it says," Rory began to read really slowly with a confused look, "'You took her away, oh, you took my place. You took her for yourself, but guess what? I am capable of more than you think. I can make every one of your living days a nightmare like my own.'"

"Pretty scary, eh?"

"Let me finish! God! 'But there's another option. Drop Raoul.'" Read Rory.

"'ho the 'ell is Raoul?"

"D'ya think I know this kind of stuff, Boyd? Cause I don't, and like I said before, stop asking questions!"

"Sorry."

Rory continued to read the note. "'You know what you have to do. And I'll be watching. You have three weeks until ShowTime. You know what you have to do.'"

"See I told ya it's blackmail! And he's gonna take his pocket knife and kill 'im!"

"NO, he's not gonna kill him!"

"Then what's he gonna do?" ask Boyd.

"I don't know! It says he's gonna…uh…" Rory looked back at the note for reference, "'Make every one of your living days a nightmare like my own."

"Pretty scary, eh?"

"Look! Will you stop saying that?"

"Sorry." Boyd apologized.

"Don't be sorry, just don't do it!"

"Sorry."

"Kay, well we gotta turn the circuit breaker box on too." Rory said.

"What stupid bloke put the circuit breaker box under the auditorium anyway?" asked Boyd.

"I don't know, maybe one that was as stupid as you!"

"Ey! I'm not stupid."

"Well than stop asking stupid questions, Boyd."

They walked backstage, flickered their flashlights on and opened the door that led to the orchestra pit.

Curly did his best to silently make his way across the catwalk. He ditched his microphone, and left his flashlight, when he made it down the ladder to backstage, the power came back on, and Curly heard footsteps coming from the stairwell to the orchestra pit.

Knowing it was Boyd and Rory, he hid behind some of the backdrops for the musical.

"Now let's give this letter to big man Albertus quickly, 'cause I want to get back to the break room. I want some coffee." Suggested Rory.

"What a great idea!"

"Shut up you fool."and Boyd and Rory walked out of the auditorium.

_NO! YOU CAN'T GIVE THAT TO MR. ALBERTUS!_

Curly bit his lip, trying hard not to scream aloud.

_That's supposed to be for Eugene! Days of planning ruined by two dumb janitors! UGH!_

"All students, please report to your class rooms. Thank you." The intercom spoke.

Curly snuck into the crowed halls filled with cowering high school students, and made his way to his previous class.

* * *

All at once, the lights turned on, flooding the room with light, blinding Arnold from the previous blackness that surrounded them.

They exchanged a glance, and Helga was blushing. She let go of Arnold's hand, which previously she was squeezing with fear. Was it fear? Arnold wasn't sure.

But she smiled, "Thanks, Arnaldo."

Arnold gave a small smile in return. "Come on, let's go see what's going on outside." They walked out of the room and into the hectic hall, where people were looking around in utter confusion.

"All students, please report to your class rooms. Thank you." The intercom spoke.

Kids shuffled by them as they stood in the doorway, and Helga and Arnold exchanged a glance.

"Helga!" Arnold turned his head to see Wolfgang. He felt real powerless as Wolfgang's tall buff figure towered over him and Helga. He looked at Arnold and scowled slightly. Arnold looked away and scowled too. "I was just wondering where you were."

Helga smiled sarcastically, "Yeah…well, I'm just fine. You know, being trampled by kids trying to escape a false alarm was just peachy." She nodded acerbically.

"I'm sorry that happened, Helga." The way Wolfgang said "Helga" made Arnold want to gag.

_Hel-ga _he mimicked in his head. Arnold looked into the door's window. _This is pathetic. _

Wolfgang leaned in flirtatiously toward Helga, and Arnold burned red.

"I'm sorry guys, I'll be right back, I've just gotta go vomit." Arnold pushed himself through the tight space in-between Helga and Wolfgang, and walked off.

"What's up with him?" asked Wolfgang.

**A/N: Hey! Thanks for reading! Let me know what you want to see happen next! Anyway I've gotta go. Autobots, roll out!**


	12. Awkward

**Chapter 11**

Awkward.

As she walked down the hallway to lunch, she repeated the word it her head. It seemed surreal.

Awkward.

The word sounded awkward. She silently mouthed it to herself to make sure it was a real word.

Awkward.

Awkward Turtle.

Awkwo Taco.

Awkward.

She felt very very very awkward. Words could not describe how awkward she felt.

The day had started off ok, and then as soon as she saw Arnold, it all went downhill.

First, he saw Helga and Wolfgang making out and tripped.

Then she got stuck in the same room as him ALONE for a good twenty minutes (which honestly she didn't mind, but now it was making the situation more awkward)

And now, Wolfgang tried to kiss her in front of Arnold, but he ran in between them, making everything even more awkward!

"_I've just gotta go vomit." _Arnold's words rang in her head, humiliating her each time she repeated them in her mind.

What's worse is that Helga doesn't know what to do about Wolfgang anymore. She can't take it any longer. All of his "romantic attempts" just end up in a make out session. It's not like it was a real relationship. Just kissing.

Helga shivered. Why was she doing this?

Oh yeah…she remembered…

This is all Curly's fault. All Curly's fault.

He. Is. A. Twisted. Little. Freak.

Who ruins the lives of others!

Why did Helga even listen to him in the first place?

"_Maybe perhaps...a little Shortman will disappear...?" _Curly's threat made her heart shiver.

If she saw Arnold and Wolfgang in the same room one more time today, she was going to die of awkwardness.

Suddenly Helga's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Rhonda Wellington Lloyd say her name. "Helga G. Pataki. I am so sick of her." Rhonda spat. "She's such a skank, you know? She thinks she can walk around slobbering all over Wolfgang. Please. I guess she really gets around."

Helga looked over at Rhonda, who was being accompainied not by Nadine (like normal) but by Curly.

Helga clamped her jaw in rage.

Curly Gammelthorpe. That little shit was tailing Rhonda, listening to her vent about her (Helga). He was still shorter than Rhonda, so he had to look up at her, and his smile was ear to ear.

Helga scowled. _Little Creep._

Before she could stop herself, she yelled across the hall, "CURLY."

Rhonda and Curly both stopped and turned around. Helga crossed her arms once they made eye contact. "I need to talk to you. NOW."

"I'll sit with you at lunch Rhonda." He said (in Helga's eyes) creepily. Once Rhonda left, Curly frowned. "What is it?" he snapped.

"Oh, I'll tell you what it is…" she grabbed his shirt and pulled him into an empty classroom. "Are you happy now?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you happy now Curly? I embarrassed myself in front of the whole school this morning because of you."

"Embarssed yourself because of me?" he asked innocently, "I don't recall doing anything of the sort."

"Oh really? Does the name Wolfgang ring a bell?" she asked sarcastically, "Or maybe this might sound familiar, 'Go out with Wolfgang! It'll be a great idea! You'll make Arnold jealous, and half of the school calling you a slut!'"

"Half of the school isn't calling you a slut, they are just saying you're a skank. At least that's what Rhonda said…"

"Whatever, same thing." She let go of Curly's shirt. "And now that you've got 'Ms. Rhonda Lloyd' talking to you, I guess I can get rid of this Wolfgang thing."

"Whoa, whoa whoa, I never said you could break up with Wolfgang. You can't break up with him until I say so, or if he breaks up with you instead."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, remember? If you don't listen to me Helga, your friend Arnold might go missing in action." He laughed and Helga crossed her arms. "How is Arnold doing by the way?"

"Perfect." she grumbled.

"Wonderful! I better get going now, don't want to be late for lunch!" He smiled strangely and then walked out.

* * *

"You okay?" Gerald woke him up from his wandering mind at the lunch table.

"What?" Arnold asked.

"It's just that…you've been acting a little weird," Gerald pulled his chair out, "And as your best friend, I know when something's up." He sat down and began to scorf down the food his plate. "Besides it's been a freaky day. You know with all the fire alarms and blackouts and stuff. I surprised they still kept us in school after that. But back to the point, Arnold, what's up?" Gerald asked with half a mouthful.

"Nothing's 'up' Gerald."

"Whatever you say."

"Anyway, where's Phoebe?" Arnold started drinking his water.

"I don't know. She said she had to talk to Helga or somethin'."

Arnold choked on his water, and got it all over his face. He started coughing.

"Arnold! Are you okay?!" Gerald asked, and started slapping his back.

"I'm fine, just….wrong pipe I guess… now will you stop hitting me?" Arnold swatted his hand away.

"Sorry Arnold." He said, "But how on earth does someone choke on water?"

* * *

Lila looked up and down the hallway. Where was Helga? She needed to talk to her.

"Hi there Lila." Said a small quiet voice.

"Hey there Phoebe." Lila smiled. Phoebe's oversized sweater always stuck with her, and now she wore it with leggings rather than pantless. A little more appropriate. "How's it going?"

"Okay I guess. I needed to talk to Helga about something actually." Phoebe looked a bit worried.

"Yeah, I needed to talk to her about something too." Lila said. "She's been acting a little strange…just ever so strange." She leaned on the lockers.

"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?" Phoebe perked up.

"I'm not certain, what ever am I talking about?"

Phoebe checked to make sure no one was in ear shot. Then she motioned Lila to come close to whisper to her, "I'm talking about Arnold."

"Yes! Arnold!" Lila said aloud.

"SHHH!" She covered Lila's mouth with two of her tiny fingers. "Ice Cream. The name is ice cream." Phoebe looked around again. "We need to talk somewhere else... where there aren't any witnesses. Here, let's go to the computer lab."

* * *

From what they saw from the door, the computer lab was empty. They opened the door and entered the empty room. The computers were humming quietly and the room was dark except for the light coming from the power buttons on the computers.

"Are you sure someone isn't going to come in here?" Lila asked.

"No. No one ever comes here."

"How do you know?" Lila persisted.

"Helga and I always used to come here when we needed to talk about something."

"Well that's nice. Do you guys do that a lot?"

"Well, yeah! Actually, we haven't come here and talked for a while now. As a matter of fact, I don't think Helga and I have talked to each other for a long time." Phoebe said as she tried to recall the last time they spoke.

"Why not?" The words slipped out of her mouth before Lila could catch them. She didn't mean to intrude.

Phoebe slowly said. "I guess I've just been busy lately." It was dark, but Lila felt her look away. "I probably should be there for her more." There was an awkward silence, but Phoebe finally broke it. "Anyway, about Arnold, or Ice Cream. We call him Ice Cream. It's been like a code since we were little."

"Phoebe, that's ever so cute!"

"Well I guess you come up with things like that when you're in the fourth grade."

"So you think that Helga's acting ever so strange too because of Ar… er uh…sorry. Because of Ice Cream?"

"Precisely. Based on the events of today, yesterday, and even the days leading up to Ice Cream's arrival, she's been acting different."

"What were the events of today?"

"This morning? Helga was…well…um…sharing DNA particles with Wolfgang."

"What?"

"They were kissing, Lila. Well, like kissing for a long time…like making out…like PDA in front of the whole school."

"Oh. OH!" She grabbed Phoebe's hand in the dark, "Oh my! Do you think she's doing this to make Arnold, perhaps…envious?"

"Indeed. In psychological terms, she is directly manipulating to get the love or attention she wants. When faced with the desire to get a mate's attention, jealousy induction might be quite effective, but it is risky. It can hurt the one you love, and even cause the end of the relationship. The main issue is that when faced with a mate who is trying to manipulate us ,or when we realize we're trying to manipulate someone we love, really these actions reflect the need for love and attention. It's a signal to a mate that we're not getting something that we may need. The key then, is to acknowledge that we are in a position where we might end up hurting the very person we love. Which is why I'm worried about Helga and her mate."

"Why do you keep saying 'mate'?"

"That's not the point! Besides, what else do you want me to say? It's the term. I could use boyfriend, but Arnold and Helga aren't dating." Phoebe awnsered, "Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Helga has been acting strange because Arnold is back, and now she's kissing Wolfgang! And he's a douche!"

"Phoebe!" Lila scolded her, "Don't talk like that! It's not lady like!"

"I don't care! This is making me irritated! Wolfgang doesn't deserve Helga! At all!" Her little voice squeaked. It was almost funny to see Phoebe, the intelligent and sweet little girl get angry about something. "I mean, it's one thing to make someone jealous, but another thing to make them jealous with Wolfgang!"

"Phoebe, I know, but you need to talk with Helga about this. Otherwise, nothing's going to be able to get done." Lila put her arm around Phoebe in the low lighting, calming her down.

"You're right." She sighed. "But I don't think she'll want to hear this from me."

"Why not? You're her best friend." Lila reassured her.

"I know, but honestly, I've kind of been…well…selfish with my time lately, and we haven't talked in a while. I don't think she would want to listen to me." Phoebe admitted.

"Phoebe, can I tell you something? You two are best friends. And even if best friends don't talk for a while, that doesn't change anything. You still know each other like a farmer knows his tractor." Lila paused for a while to let Phoebe take this in, and said, "All relationships go through rough patches. Like how Helga is going through a rough patch with Arnold. But the only way you'll be able to get out of them unless you try to do something about it."

"What's that supposed to mean Lila?" Phoebe asked sadly.

"It means, that you're going to have to take the first step to mend a relationship. Well, two relationships as a matter of fact. But you have to start with the simple things first."

All of a sudden, the door creaked open, letting in light from the hall, and the silhouette of Brainy stood in the doorway as he came into the computer lab. He turned on the lights, and was about to walk to the projectors in the back of the room, when he saw Lila and Phoebe standing there.

"Uh…hi…" he looked confused.

"Hey ho Brainy." Phoebe to sound energetic.

"Hi Brian." Lila said.

"Um…I try not to be rude but…uh…what uh…. Exactly are you…uh…doing in here? It's lunch." Brainy exhaled.

"We were just leaving Brainy, I forgot my calculator in the lab. Anyways, we'll see you later!" Phoebe exclaimed.

Phoebe began to leave, but Lila stayed behind and smiled sweetly at Brainy, "Would you rather me call you Brainy or Brain?"

"Well, everyone…uh…calls me Brainy…but uh… you can call me Brain." He turned a little red.

"Okay then. We'll see you later, Brian." Lila waved and Phoebe and her left for the lunch room.


	13. Lunchtime

**Chapter 12**

Curly ran up to Gerald and Arnold while they ate lunch. "Gerald! Arnold! It's great to see you guys!"

"Yeah, yeah, nice to see you too Curly." Gerald rolled his eyes, and his tone obviously sounded like he was trying to get Curly to go away.

"The musical is opening in a few weeks. Tickets are on sale you know…"

"That's great Curly, now can you leave?" Gerald insisted

"Oh! My pardons Gerald, I didn't mean to intrude. But next time try not to be so rude."

Gerald rolled his eyes and looked to Arnold for some back up. Curly caught Arnold's eye and smiled strangley, "Oh Arnold! I forgot to ask, is your pelvis bone okay?"

"What?"

"Is your pelvis bone okay from that terrible fall this morning, you know the one in the hallway before school?" Apparently Curly thought this was an invitation to sit down and make himself comfortable. He sat right next to Arnold and rested his head in one hand and smiled real sarcastically.

"Oh, that," Arnold grumbled, "Yeah, I'm fine Curly." He took another bite of his sandwich.

"What happened that made you collide with the floor in such a manner?"

In the corner of Arnold's eye, he could see Gerald mouthing "Collide with the floor?"

"I just fell." Arnold replied still chewing a bit, quickly getting bothered with Curly's nosy-ness

"Are you sure that's it? Sure you weren't… perhaps …distracted? Distracted from a cock kissing one of your friends?" Curly asked while Arnold started to glare at Curly. "Or should I say more than friends? It was quite a show really. Helga and Wolfgang." Arnold clamped his jaw while the grip on his sandwich tightened. "They're going out you know. Oh gee, what a cute couple. They just seem so right together, don't you think?"

"Curly…go away." Arnold demanded as calmly as he possibly could.

"Excuse me?" Curly asked, eyebrows raised.

He took a deep breath to keep from losing his cool. "Curly I said go away."

Curly's eyes widened and he put a hand on his chest, "That's awful rude, where are your manners?"

His anger built up inside of him and Arnold slammed his hand on the table, and shot a furious look at Curly, "PLEASE shut the fuck up Curly. And go away, no one wants you here."

"Oh." He looked a bit startled, "Well alright then." Curly stood up and looked from Arnold to Gerald, "I'll leave before the alpha male blows his lid. Have a nice day fellas!" With that he walked off with his head leading his steps, making him look like an awkward chicken.

Gerald put his feet up on the table, and leaned back resting his head in his hands, "So something IS up Arnold! How did Curly put it? Alpha male rivalry?" he snickered.

"Gerald, SHUT UP." Arnold crossed his brow. "There is no 'rivalry' or whatever the hell he said."

Gerald laughed at him, "How am I supposed to believe that if you're getting all defensive about it?"

"Just drop it, okay? I feel like a moron, and you're not helping." he said stiffly.

"Whatever you say."

"Good."

* * *

"Is that you, Helga?" A voice echoed in the empty bathroom in the band hallway. No one ever goes to this bathroom, so it was like Helga's little hiding spot.

"AH!" she squealed and dropped her apple in the toilet. _Plunk! _She looked frantically for whoever was calling her name.

"Helga?" The person's eye was looking through the crack in the door, "It's me Phoebe, I've been looking all over for you! What are you doing in here?"

"Nothing, nothing in particular." She said and started playing with her hands.

"Helga, you're sitting in the toilet stall...during lunch..." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, so?" Helga replied quickly.

"Helga," she put her hand on the door "please, come out I wanted to talk to you."

Phoebe heard Helga go "Pff..." and the door latch clicked, and the hinges swung open with a squeak, where Helga stood before Phoebe with her eyes red.

"Helga, have you been crying?" Phoebe asked.

Helga blinked hard and avoided eye contact after, "No, no...of course not, Helga G. Pataki doesn't cry. Never." Helga said as-a-matter-of-factly. She wiped her eyes with her hands and then crossed her arms walking toward the sinks in order to get more space from Phoebe.

"Okay, well then the only other logical explanation for why your eyes are red is because you're either A, hungover, or B, high."

"No! I don't do that stuff Phoebe." She looked away and at the ground, and then said slowly, "You should know that."

"So then you were crying, correct?" Phoebe persisted.

"Maybe..."

"Helga..." Phoebe gave her an impatient glare.

"Okay FINE!" Helga crossed her arms and stood more confident and pointed to her self, "I WAS crying Phoebe! Is that a big deal? And why should you care? You should be off somewhere holding hands with Gerald in your la-di-da land COMPLETELY oblivious to the rest of the world. Well guess what Phoebe? While you were busy with Tall Hair Boy, I've been ALONE, and you never seemed to notice." Tears began to fill her eyes, and in the look she gave, you could see all of the sadness, loneliness, anger, love sickness and insecurities she felt. "What's with the sudden change of heart, Phoebe?" She asked sadly.

Phoebe's confidence was lost. She didn't expect Helga to react like this. She should have known better, expect the unexpected from her. But now, she didn't know what to say. What could she say after that? "Helga..." she began.

"Don't 'Helga' me Phoebe." Helga retorted. Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowled and turned halfway to avoid any possible eye contact. She didn't know whether she wanted to listen to Phoebe, or just reject her apology.

"I just...I just..." Phoebe took a deep breath. She knew what she had to say, she just had to say it. "Considering the events of the recent past, you probably don't want to listen to my apology, Helga." Phoebe took another deep breath and tried to hold back oncoming tears while her voice shook, "The only way to mend a relationship is to start with the simple things."

Helga sniffled and stiffened her posture, waiting for Phoebe to continue.

"I know that I've been very selfish with my time lately, and I know that I hurt your feelings by ignoring you like that. It was wrong for me to do that to my best friend. I just want you to know that I'm very sorry. You deserve better than that. You deserve a lot better. You're a brilliant friend to have, and I can't believe I missed that." A tear rolled down her cheek leaving a glimmering streak on her small face, "I'm truly sorry, Helga. And I can understand if you don't accept my apology." She looked up at Helga and waited for a response, but Helga simply stood with her arms crossed. Phoebe looked to the ground in defeat, and started walking out of the bathroom.

She walked the walk of shame out of the bathroom, and Helga knew she couldn't end their friendship like this."Wait!" Helga's voice squeaked and Phoebe turned around, "You know I can't stay mad at you after that Pheebs." Helga smiled, "Apology accepted."

* * *

"Phoebe! Sup!" Gerald shouted across the lunch room to get her attention.

Finally! Now Gerald would stop pissing him off about this 'alpha male' and 'Wolfgang' crap. It was really annoying when Gerald made fun of him like that. Thank God Phoebe showed up, otherwise Gerald probably would have ridiculed him for the rest of lunch.

But wait, why did Phoebe come late to lunch today? Didn't Gerald say something about her talking to Helga? Arnold looked for where Phoebe was in the crowded lunch room, and she was accompanied by none other than Helga. How convenient...

"Hi Gerald, Arnold." Phoebe said sweetly, and she set down her lunch bag. "Can we pull up an extra seat for Helga?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure." Gerald said, "Hey Arnold, can you get that seat from the other table? You're closest."

Clearly Gerald was doing this on purpose, but Arnold gave him a look that said "You are really immature." But Gerald smiled right back with a look that said "You're the 'alpha male' right?", so Arnold stood up and got an extra chair.

The girls sat down, and as Arnold sat down too, he noticed that Helga's eyes were a little red and swollen.

There was an awkward silence for a while, but it was broken by Gerald. "So how was driver's ed yesterday?" Gerald asked Helga.

She shrugged. "It was ok. I had to walk there though," Arnold looked slightly guilty, "And it was raining, so when I walked in to class late, the teacher was all like," she clamped down her nose with her fingers, "'Excuse me Ms.! You're late for class. This won't happen again, will it?'" The whole table laughed. "Oh my God, she had the most irritating voice."

"I was so bored." Arnold added.

"Yeah, so bored that Ms. Johnson noticed! Nice job…"

"At least I didn't fall asleep." He snapped

"At least I didn't get caught." She shot back

He laughed, "She sits down to teach us."

"Yeah she can hardly fit in the chair." Helga said and rolled her eyes.

"Doesn't she look like a chicken?"

"Oh my God yes," Helga turned her attention back to Gerald and Phoebe, "You don't understand, this lady is HUGE!" Helga used her arms to exaggerate. "I mean, she's so huge that I'm surprised the floor didn't break from underneath her."

Everyone was red from laughing at Helga's description of their teacher, but she still continued, "Out first drive is today. I don't know how Eugene, Arnold and I are going to fit in those tiny little cars with Ms. Johnson sitting in it. Hopefully the car won't break down from an 'Oversized Load'." Everyone laughed.

"Speaking of Eugene, wasn't that blackout this morning really creepy? I mean, think about it, the fire alarm gets pulled and then someone's voice comes over the intercom asking for Eugene? Who would have the motive to potentially get expelled so they could threaten Eugene? What could have Eugene done?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know," said Helga, "But who ever blackmailed Eugene must be one twisted little freak..."

"I want to know who actually went down to the auditorium and what was down there. I mean, they obviously got the power back on, and the day is back to normal, but did they ever find out who actually threatened him?" Arnold added.

"Mr. Albertus probably sent Rory and Boyd down there." Gerald said.

"Whose Rory and Boyd?" Arnold asked.

"They're the two loons who are the head janitors. They're both Scottish and Rory is the fat one and Boyd is the ginger." Helga explained.

"Well that's a nice description Helga." Arnold said sarcastically.

"Well what else am I supposed to say? It's the truth isn't it?" She argued.

Arnold laughed, "Let's just hope this blackout blackmail thing doesn't become routine. They really need to find out who did it. Like Phoebe said, why did they want Eugene?"

_Who would have the motive to potentially get expelled so they could threaten Eugene?_ The memories from last night came flashing back to her...

* * *

**xXxFlashbackxXx**

_"Oh, a little birdy told me. Besides, how could I not? The whole school knows about it now, after my swe-" he stopped and shook his head, "my co-star came ranting into rehearsal one day. I've never seen her perfect face so angry."_

_"Do you mean Rhonda?" she shivered._

_"Yes, my Rhonda...my Christine... she seemed very upset about it. 'How is Wolfgang in love with Helga Pataki when he hardly talks to me? Am I a turn off or something?'" he took a deep breath, "WHY WOULD YOU EVER WANT HIS ATTENTION WHEN YOU HAVE ME? ALWAYS STANDING IN THE SHADOWS, ALMOST INVISIBLE TO YOU." he screamed to himself._

**xXxEnd of FlashbackxXx**

* * *

_He wants Rhonda's attention._

_He wants her attention and he thinks the only way he's going to get it is from jealousy._

_But what' this got to do with Eugene? _She thought.

Curly's role, the Phantom, shunned by the one he loves, Rhonda's role, Christine, who loves Eugene's role, Raoul.

_He has the motive to potentially expel himself just for Rhonda's attention...the little freak...the Phantom..._

Was she just imagining this? Maybe the anger she felt toward him was making her think like this, but at the same time, is seemed amazingly ironic.

"Helga? Are you okay?" Phoebe asked, snapping her back to reality. Helga realized she'd been staring with a glazed, worried look, lost in thought while twirling the hair in one of her pigtails.

"Yeah, Phoebe, can I call you tonight?" she asked, still staring into the distance.

"Yeah, no problem." Phoebe replied. She still had to talk with her about…Ice Cream anyway.

Arnold noticed her worried look, "Helga, are you okay?" Arnold asked.

"I'm fine. Just peachy. I was thinking about something, but it's not important anyway." She said and stopped playing with her hair. They made eye contact, and then Arnold's considerate nature came out once again as he noticed that Helga brought no lunch. "Helga, where's your lunch?" Helga remembered this morning…when her mom gave her a credit card for lunch money, and rubbed the back of her neck. "When I asked my mom for some lunch money she gave me her credit card. But you can't buy stuff from the cafeteria with a credit card, so I brought an apple from home. But then it fell in the toilet."

"It fell in the toilet?" He asked.

Helga glanced quickly at Phoebe. "Long story."

Arnold stood up and smiled, "I'll buy you some lunch."

Helga shook her head, "Arnold, it's no big deal, really, I-I'm fine, you've done enough for me today."

"No. I'm buying you lunch."

"You are NOT buying me lunch."

"Great! I'll make sure to avoid the mystery meat."

Helga groaned while Arnold walked away.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I know I have some lose ends to tie up with Helga and Phoebe, even Curly and Eugene, and Arnold and Wolfgang. But we're almost there, so keep holding on! Also, I'm going to start posting a lot of shorts on my account later, so watch for those too :)**

**Thanks so much for the reviews! I really do like reading them!**

**Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnddd I'm out!**


	14. Frostbite

**A/N: Awkward talks are my specialty, considering that I go through them everyday...**

**So i'm here to say that there is more awkward moments, and the awkward moments can become good and bad.**

**Easter Egg: There's a Pitch Perfect reference, so see if you can find it! **

**Let me know what you think in the comments section!**

**Chapter 13**

As the school day came to an end, Arnold walked outside to catch the bus, when he saw Helga by the bike rack. "Hey Helga." He tried to remain casual.

She looked up from unlocking her bike and smiled. "Hey Arnaldo."

Arnaldo. She always used to call him that when they dated. He felt reassured. Mixed emotions filled Arnold's heart, he was unsure of what he should say. He didn't even know what he was doing here. He was just drawn to her when he saw her out here after school.

His thoughts ended once a loud sound and a gust of wind flew past them.

"You missed your bus." Helga said, still working on her bike.

"That's okay. I wanted to walk to driver's ed anyway. Mind if I join you?"

_Please say yes, please say yes…_

She shrugged. "That's fine with me." Helga finished unlocking her bike and said, "Let's hop to it then, football head."

They walked down the sidewalk a little bit, when they saw Mr. Green up the hilly road, who was waving his hand trying to get their attention. Arnold and Helga waved back.

"Hey Arnold! Long time no see! How was San Fransisco? I see that you've been keeping a long distance relationship…" Mr Green said.

Arnold blushed, and looked from Helga to Mr. Green, "San Lorenzo?" Arnold asked, "And no, I haven't been keeping a long distance relationship." He said, rubbing the back of his neck like he used to do as a kid.

"Oh, well I knew you two had a thing before you left." Mr. Green winked at Helga, and she smiled nerviously, "Oh…well…that was…t-that was a long time ago… I'm ummm…I'm surprised you remembered that…heh." She She stammered, and Arnold saw Helga's flustered face.

"It wasn't that long ago. Only two years." Arnold reminded her, a bit ticked that she was pretending to forget their relationship.

"Oh yes. You two were quite the couple. I remember almost everyone in the neighborhood thought you should be together." Mr. Green recalled.

"Do you?" Helga snapped a little too defensively.

"Yep. Anyway, I've got to keep watch over the shop, it was nice seeing you guys! Tell your parents to give me a call!" Mr. Green patted Arnold on the shoulder and whispered into his ear, "Don't let her fool you any longer kid," and walked inside his butcher shop, leaving the two alone in another awkward situation. Helga was blushing, but her brow was crossed and her arms folded over her chest. "What was that all about?" She asked.

"Uh, nothing." Arnold replied.

The response he got was "Whatever," with rolled eyes, and she began to head down the street with Arnold following her.

They walked silently, considering Mr. Green basically ruined any kind of friendly statues they had built up. Arnold wished things could go back to the way they used to be. Happy. Even Helga was happier then. "You used to be so different then." He said abruptly.

"What?" Helga said a bit startled from his sudden outburst.

"You were so nice to everyone after we found my parents. I just wish you could show that side of you again." He confessed.

Helga took his words to heart, but couldn't let him break her exterior, "Yeah, well, life goes on bucko. Sorry I'm not the same person."

"Yeah you are. You just pretend to be one of those girls that are dark and mysterious, but then you take off her glasses and the ear spike and you realize that she was beautiful the whole time."

She felt like her penetrated though her skin with a bullet, but she simply replied, "I don't wear glasses," to keep the wounds from bleeding.

"Then you're halfway there." He smiled that cute, goofy, adorable, nerdy, little smile, and looked right into Helga's eyes, his emerald ones meeting her ocean blue. Almost that he could see right into her soul, right into her thoughts, and right into her heart (which felt like its pounding could be seen from miles away).

"You're a weirdo." Was all Helga could manage to say with a small laugh and a smile.

"Yeah. I am. And so are you," He nudged her shoulder lightly, and she smiled looking into his eyes, and then back to the ground, with her hand on her bike, leading their path to the old elementary school for driver's ed. She completely forgot that, she was too distracted by Arnold. It kinda sucked that they were going to have to end this conversation soon, they were almost at the school. This was the happiest she had felt in a long long time. She could almost feel herself glowing, and she knew Arnold noticed the state of bliss she was in. Almost all her problems had melted away in the little time they spent together, all the problems at home, all the problems at school, and all the problems with the world. Everything just seemed...perfect...

...when the sound of a car on its brakes and a booming stereo playing loud irritating music came from behind them, and they turned around to look for who it was. Wolfgang drove by in his car with Edmond in the backseat, and he turned down the music and rolled the window down. "Hey Helga, need a ride? I can take you over to my place, we can chill." Helga groaned and rolled her eyes, although thankfully Wolfgang couldn't see, "I have driver's ed. I told you this like five time in the last hour. Do you even listen to me speak?" she asked, but then mumbled under her breath, "Nope, all he knows how to do is slobber all over me when he gets the chance." Arnold tried hard not to laugh, because he knew she intended for him not to hear it.

Coming from the backseat, Edmond said, "Huh huh, Wolfgang you're girlfriend's a bitch." And then Wolfgang turned around in the car and shook his head, "Women," he said, then blasted his radio again and drove off, leaving a gush of wind chasing them and blowing onto Arnold and Helga. Arnold turned back to Helga, who looked very bitter.

"Let's go Arnold," Helga took Arnold's hand in one hand, and the other held her bike. She led him a few steps and then let go, leaving him rosy. He needed to talk to her about Wolfgang, so he decided to play it cool to get it out of her. He just couldn't stand the sight of her with him any longer. His desire to comfort her grew so strong it burned, but he didn't want to overstretch his boundaries. "I never liked him, you know?" The words slipped out of his mouth before he could catch them. He braced himself for her reaction, not knowing whether it was going to be a good or bad. _That was stupid. That was a stupid thing to say._

She snorted "Tell me about it."

"Sorry it's not my place to talk," Arnold apologized.

"Oh, no. It's fine. I hate him. You know what? Hate isn't strong enough. I think loathe is a better word to use." Helga said.

"Okay, let me get this straight, you hate this guy, haven't gone on an official date, he's bullied you for almost two years now, and, oh yeah, you hate him. Then why are you dating him? I mean, it's kind of stupid to date someone you 'loathe'.'' he quoted with his fingers as they reached the school grounds of PS 118.

"Okay, first of all, I'm not dating him." She began as she locked up her bike outside.

"Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, because, you know you were sucking on his face like a lollipop…" he said sarcastically.

_Crap._ He thought, _What happened to don't overstretch your boundaries?_

Her mouth gaped open, "ARNOLD!" she scolded.

"What?" he asked innocently, trying to keep this from escalating even further.

"I do not suck on his face!" she balled up her fist with her free hand, and the knuckles on the other hand holding on to the bike turned white.

"Yeah, you were this morning before the power went out!" He countered before he could stop himself. _Stop, stop, right now…you're going off the deep end my friend._

"You know, I don't even want to talk about this anymore. I don't even know why I'm talking to you. We're not even friends."

_We're not even friends._

Spoken like ice, freezing him over in his place while she stomped inside.

_We're not even friends._

The words were the most painful frostbite.

_We're not even friends._

The ones that hurt the most


	15. It's Stuck

**A/N: Hey everyone! I know haven't updated in a while, but I was at a crossroad at where i want to take the story, so hopefully this way is the right desicion. Thanks to everyone who has followed and reviewed my fanfiction, and a shout out to Conor Dachisen for reminding me that there's still people out there reading!**

**Chapter 14**

Why were they acting like this?

Helga walked in a few minutes earlier and plopped her self down in the back corner, clearly furious, and Arnold came in a minute later, avoiding eye contact with anyone, and his head was held low.

What happened?

He thought they were starting to become a little better around each other... guess not.

Thankfully Eugene didn't have to deal with women. Too over dramatic sometimes...

He head Helga mumble under her breath as she glared at Arnold across the room, "Sucking his face like a lollipop, my ass."

Wait...Arnold and Helga "sucked face"? But she was dating Wolfgang! He leaned over, "Um...Helga, not to intrude or anything, but did you just say you 'sucked Arnold's face'?"

"No!" she yelled. "There's no way on earth that would ever happen, you moron."

" Oh, okay then. How about we change the subject then?" Eugene asked.

"Good."

"How was your day Helga?" He asked nicely, trying to calm her fumes a little.

"Jusy peachy. Thanks for asking. I mean, basically the whole school thinks I'm a skank, and then the power went out this moring, and nearly scared the shit out of me, and that ass hole over there claims I suck Wolfgang's face like a lollipop."

Oh. So that's what she was talking about. Wolfgang.

"I'm sorry to hear that Helga." He said.

"Yep."

"Ahem." Said a nasally, irritated voice from the front of the class. Mrs. Johnson, who looked more like a plump owl than ever, was staring them down like she had laser beams in her eyes, "Class has started you two. You are interrupting the class and hindering the future drivers of our roads. Please NO TALKING. I want your full attention."

Eugene heard Helga go "pft" and she mumbled under her breath in a mocking tone, "hindering the future drivers of our roads."

The next 45 minutes dragged on. Mrs. Johnson's voice seemed to sound like one of the adults from _Charlie Brown, _a muffled, "Wah wa wa wah. Wah wa wa wah," and there was a kid in front of Eugene snoring, another kid texting his girlfriend, and he saw Arnold up front and what looked like a regretful face. His brow was crossed, head in one hand which was resting on the beat up desk, and his eyes were glazed over, like he was deep in thought.

_Gosh, he's probably thinking about Helga. _He looked back at Helga, who looked kind of sad, and she was lost in thought too, her look just as glazed as Arnold's.

_Those two live the life of a Soap Opera._ _Why do they always fight? It's almost like a Taylor Swift song or something... _Eugene smiled and sang in his head, _Weeeeeeee are never ever ever getting back together... _T-Swift was his home girl.

_Why can't they just admit they still have feelings for each other? There would be so much less stress in their lives..._

_Maybe they just like pissing each other of. Maybe they think they are on Reality TV or something, and that's why they like to fight! That would explain a lot..._

Eugene glanced at the clock again, which seemed to be ticking slower every time he checked it.

_Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick, _It was driving him insane. He only had 15 minutes till he got behind the wheel for his first driving session, that was one thing to look forward to. Except he would be stuck in a car with Mrs. Johnson... with Arnold and Helga in the backseat...

He mentally groaned, now he wouldn't even be looking forward to that...

* * *

Ms. Johnson stepped in the beat up, dingy car, and turned on the air conditioning, making the air smell of the cigarettes she always smokes in between drives. The first group of kids that had to drive was the blonde brat, the weird headed kid, and the ginger fruit. She didn't know why they scheduled to drive so early... something about play practice maybe? Whatever the reason, she found it to be silly, as if the kids thought their lives were more important than hers. She pulled up to the front of the school, and the bratty blonde girl scowled as she glared at the kid with the funny head. The fruity one stepped toward the door, indicating that he was going to drive first, so Ms. Johnson stepped out of the car, and as she did so, it rocked back and forth with her body weight. She walked around to the other seat, and the other kids filled into the car.

"Okay kid, first things first. Most of it's common sense really, but I'm required to explain this to you by law, so here it goes. First, buckle up, then adjust the seat, then the mirrors. Got it? Good." she said emotionless.

He looked nervous, like most drivers do, "Don't worry, we're just riding around the neighborhoods today. Nothing too hard, I know you're not capable of driving on the road yet." She rolled her eyes at his blindness. "Come on, we've got two other kids who need to drive too. Hurry up." She pulled out a Diet Dr. Paprika and started drinking. It really got hot in these cars with all of the pubescent bodies, with all of their sweat and body odor and whatnot.

The ginger finally was ready to go, and he placed his foot on the accelerator and began to drive.

"Not a bad start." she groaned. Trying to give these new drivers motivation became old quickly. "Okay, turn right at the light, and then continue on Westnedge until you get to Shaver, then make another right."

Eventually they got to the neighborhood for the course they were driving today, and Ms. Johnson heard whispers in the back seat.

"Hey, Helga?" She looked in the rear view mirror and saw the football head trying to talk to the bratty girl. "Can you at least answer me?"

And the blonde girl, who's name must have been Helga, didn't answer. She continued to look out the window mindlessly ignoring the other kid, and she was obviously trying to sit as far away as possible from him.

"Helga? Come on, stop acting like a little kid." he pleaded, "Just let me explain myself."

"Arnold, just leave me alone, God you are so annoying." she snapped back in a whisper.

"Why is it that you two are always the ones talking and not paying any attention? Please be quiet!" she yelled at them through the rear view mirror, then refocused her attention at the young man in the front, "Some friends you have, kid. Turn here. Watch your speed!"

"Yeah, they're something, aren't they?" he answered nervously, knuckles white from clutching the wheel.

"Yes, they don't seem to know how disruptive they are. When I was a child, things were much different. We did as we were told." Ms. Johnson stated very matter of factly.

"Sorry we're not as perfect as you," retorted Helga.

"Yes, I was a perfect child, young lady. I was virtually flawless." She bragged, "I had my attitude adjusted when I was very young," Letting Helga know she was bothered with her attitude, "I was class president, valedictorian, and I was planning on studying History at Stanford. I even used to be a model." She bragged.

"Hmph." Helga groaned, "What happened?"

"Helga..." Arnold whispered.

"What?"

"Excuse me, but that is my business, and none of yours young lady." She frowned and she told the ginger to go back onto the main road so they can start driving down the longer country roads that lead to Idaho. After a few minutes of driving past the cornfields of the Washington countryside, there was a stoplight approaching, and for some reason, Eugene wasn't stopping...

"Young man, put your brake on..."

"I...I can't..."

"What? Put your brake on."

"I can't! It's stuck!" He was practically yelling, and stomping his feet on the pedal every which way. Ms. Johnson tried to slam on her brake, but it was stuck as well.

They were approaching the light at 55 miles an hour, and clearly not slowing down, Ms. Johnson grabbed the wheel and pulled them into a cornfield on the right of them.

Stalks of corn were flying at them, some cracked the windshield, and one of the tires popped as they drove through the bumpy field, all the while the kids were screaming, and then Ms. Johnson felt a strange sharp pain in her chest, as if her heart was about to explode. She started sweating and felt dizzy. She felt nauseated, and all the while the car was racing through the corn and the kids were screaming, only making everything worse.

And then suddenly, everything started to fade as her heart was racing and they were screaming.

Everything went black.


End file.
